The Perfect Ending
by blueorchids
Summary: Burke and Cristina had broken up and had not seen each other for two in a half years, until a tragic accident brought them back together. BurkeCristina
1. Chapter 1

1_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

**The Perfect Ending**

Chapter 1

Preston Burke woke up to the sound of his telephone ringing, he looked over at the clock sitting on his night stand, it was 2:a.m. He wondered who could be calling him this late at night he was sure it wasn't the hospital as they would have paged him instead. He picked the phone up and said hello.

'Hello Dr. Burke, its George O'malley.'

'O'malley, it's good to hear from you but do you have any idea what time it is?'

'I'm sorry Dr. Burke but I don't know who else to call and we haven't been able to reach her family.'

'Her family? What are you talking about O'malley?'

'It's Cristina'

Burke's heart skipped a beat, he had not spoken to Cristina for more than two years but the memory of her and what they meant to each other was as fresh in his mind as if it happened yesterday.

'What about Cristina?'

'Five days ago Cristina was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, We tried to reach her family but they are traveling in Asia'

Burke was shocked he bit down on his lip so hard and didn't realize it until his lip started to bleed. This can't be happening he thought, maybe this was all a dream, but it wasn't; George was still talking.

'Dr. Burke, Are you there?'

'Yes O'malley, I'm here, how serious?'

'She has been in a coma ever since the accident, her injuries are mostly internal and the prognosis is not good.'

'She's been in a coma for the last five days and you're just letting me know about this?'

'We wanted to phone you sooner but we were not sure if Cristina would want us to do so.'

"I'll be there, I just have to make some arrangements, I'll call you back when everything is finalized." That was all Burke said before he hanged up the phone.


	2. Chapter 2

1

Chapter 2

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

Preston Burke hanged up the phone and lay back on his bed running his hand across his face, his chest constricted and he felt as though he were about to have a heart attack. He found himself repeating her name over and over, Cristina, his Cristina was laying in a hospital bed seriously injured and alone. He should have been there to take care of her. Maybe if he were there, this would not have happened. He thought about the last time he saw her, they had fought because he wanted to go back to Alabama to be near his family while he recovers from the gun shot wound. She was upset and angry. She said that he asked her to move in with him and now he was moving away from her. He had explained to her that he was not leaving her but that he wanted her to be able to focus on her internship without having to worry about taking care of him. She thought that he was using his injury as an excuse to punish her for not being strong enough to support him while he was in the hospital. She had cried, something that Cristina rarely does and he remembered how hurtful their last conversation was. _" When I took the internship at Seattle Grace, it represented a new beginning for me.' Cristina had said, ' I had no friends here and knew no one. For me to make it I would have to survive on my own and for the most part I succeeded. I made good friends and I liked the city and the hospital, and then I met you and everything changed, I let my guard down, and let you in and before I knew it I was pregnant and you broke up with me."_

"_Cristina, when we broke up I did not know that you were pregnant," Burke replied. "Not that you were ever interested in keeping that baby, you told me yourself that you were planning on terminating it. Without my knowledge I might add."_

"_And if you had known; what difference would that make? I was just an intern who was stupid enough to fa . . . to get involved with my boss, and furthermore, when I told you that I was not going to keep the baby you weren't even upset, it's like you were glad that I was getting rid of it." _

_Burke was losing his patience with her but he wanted to continue the conversation because this was really the first time that Cristina was really talking about how she felt. He had taken her by the arm and turned her around gently so that she was facing him. "Cristina, I want you to listen to me and listen to me carefully. I love you and if you had chosen to keep that baby I would have been the happiest man alive, but I do not want to be happy at your expense. I am already established in my career, but you are just beginning yours. If you had not miscarried, there was no way I could have asked you to give up everything that you worked so hard for in order to have that baby. Loving someone means that you are willing to make compromises and sacrifices for that person and that relationship."_

"_So I'm the sacrificial lamb"_

" _Cristina I know that you won't believe me right now but one day you'll thank me for this"_

"_Stop acting like my teacher Burke, we're not at the hospital. You know, you told me once that you didn't understand the problem with an intern dating an attending, well, neither did I, until now."_

"_What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_It means that you see yourself as my boss both here and at the hospital, and you can't seem to separate that from being my boyfriend. I have done everything that you have ever asked of me. I moved in here because you asked me to, I gave up my apartment because you asked me to. You went public with our relationship when I was not ready to do so but I went along with it because you decided that it was best. Every important decision in this relationship was made by you, and I just went along with it. You call the shots and if I so much as hesitate, you threaten to walk away. Well now you have the perfect excuse; walk away Burke. I don't care anymore." With that she had grabbed a blanket from the closet and went to sleep on the living room couch. The next morning when he woke up she had already left for the hospital. He tried to call her to say goodbye but she wouldn't answer her phone. So he left. _

He had written to her several times but she never replied to any of his letters. Eventually he wrote to her and asks her to ship his belongings to his mother's address, which she did. After a while he stopped writing but he could not forget her, every woman he met who showed any interest in him was compared to Cristina. He checked up on her periodically through George. She was still the brilliant Cristina he knew. That was almost three years ago. She was now a resident and he believed that she may have moved on with her life. Every time he spoke to George and ask about Cristina he was certain that George was keeping something from him but he didn't push for information, he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear that she had someone new in her life. He had recovered from his injuries and decided to take a position at one of Alabama's most prestigious hospital. It was not Seattle Grace but it was a chance to start over, and it was better than having to go back to a place where there were so many memories of the woman he had loved and lost. Now she was in a coma, maybe dying and he has to be there no matter what.


	3. Chapter 3

1

Chapter 3

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

Dr. Burke called the hospital to make arrangements for an emergency leave, and called the airline to book a flight to Seattle. He arrived there at 9:30. P.m. the following night and took a cab to his hotel where; after checking in he just dropped his bags on the floor before heading off to the hospital. He had phoned George to meet him at the hospital and update him on Cristina's condition. He had forgotten how cold and damp Seattle's weather could be and he was not dressed appropriately, he shivered but he knew that it wasn't just the weather that was affecting him. He wondered if he would be able to handle seeing her in a coma, for the first time he was scared, he had always dreamed of a reunion with her but not like this. He remembered how Cristina reacted when he was shot, what if he reacted in the same way. He had never been tested like this before, what if he was not capable of keeping his emotions in check?. He arrived at the hospital within half an hour and stood looking at the building and remembering all the times he had entered those doors. So much of his life was spent within those walls, he experienced the best and worst of the human condition here, life, death and many miracles but most importantly he met her.

Throughout his career he had the privelidge of training many interns and he was never once tempted to be anything more than a teacher and mentor to them. Then she came along, strong willed, bright, aggressive, smart and beautiful. She brought out a side of him that he had forgotten existed. He was no longer just about the job, he had a personal life and she was the most important part of it. She made him happy and he believed that he made her happy too. All he ever wanted was to go to bed at night with her in his arms and wake up to her in the mornings. To most people she came across as tough and self-assured but he knew that deep down she was very vulnerable and he wanted to protect her. Eventually the walls that she had built around herself began to crumble and she began to show a little bit of the real Cristina, the one he knew was always there. When they were together, wether they were in the Or, or in a crowded room they appeared to be in their own little world. They had their challenges but at night they would always end up in the same place, in his bed with his arms wrapped around her. Then, with one reckless shot from a gun everything changed. He blamed himself for the break up, he thought that maybe he had moved too fast and should not have asked her to move in so soon, in hind sight she needed more time and a little more understanding from him.

When he entered the hospital George and Meredith were waiting for him in the lobby, He felt good seeing familiar faces again, he shook George' hand and gave Meredith a kiss on the cheek then he asked, 'how is she?'

Meredith was the first to answer. "She is not doing well at all. Dr. Shepherd and Dr. Cameron are taking care of her but the prognosis is not good. As you know the longer she stays in the coma the greater the chance that she may never fully recover. We still haven't been able to get in touch with her family but we left a message with her mother's housekeeper and she is trying to track them down. Dr. Bailey, George, Izzie and I all take turns sitting with her, you know they say that sometimes when someone is in a coma if you talk to them they can hear. We're hoping that if she hears your voice it may help."

"What if hearing my voice makes it worse?' Burke asked, 'Cristina and I didn't exactly part on good terms."

'Maybe so Dr. Burke, but we believe that if anyone can reach her, it's you.'

'Cristina is not the same person you knew three years ago, I mean she is the same feisty, competitive, focused individual but, she is also a kinder more compassionate person, thanks to Christopher.'

The moment George mentioned Christopher he knew he made a mistake, Meredith gave him a dirty look and Burke not missing a beat looked surprised before he asked.

'Who the hell is Christopher? .'

Meredith answered quickly, 'that's not important right now, lets just keep the focus on getting Cristina better then she can tell you who Christopher is.'

Burke was adamant, 'Grey. I haven't seen or spoken to Cristina in almost three years. I don't expect her to not have someone in her life but if she does, why isn't he here?' .

Meredith looked uncomfortable and unsure of what to say. George finally answered. 'Dr. Burke, please trust us on this one. Christopher is not . . . cannot come to the hospital to see Cristina right now, if he could he would, and it's not what you think.'

'O'Malley, you have no idea what I am thinking right now, but I am here and if I can help her I will, just don't expect any miracles.'


	4. Chapter 4

1Chapter 4

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

Dr. Burke and George got off the elevator on the 3rd floor and Burke stopped for a moment as George led the way to Cristina's room number 315. They entered the room quietly and George could tell that Burke was really shook up by the sight of Cristina lying on the bed connected to tubes. He watched Burke go closer to Cristina's bed side watched him reach out and touch her face lovingly. His face looked pained and he seems to have aged suddenly, he closed his eyes tightly as if he was trying hard to block out what was in front of him. Watching Burke's reaction fascinated George. He smiled to himself, '_the two of them are so not over,'_ he thought. George felt as if he was intruding on a very private moment so he decided to leave. 'I'll leave you alone now Dr. Burke but if you need me please page me

George started to walk away but Burke stopped him. 'O'malley,'

"Yes, Dr. Burke?" George asked as he turned around.

"thank you."

'You're welcome Dr. Burke. I'm still your guy.'

As a doctor Burke had seen the best and worse of the human condition and he was never affected, until now. He closed his eyes tightly and appeared to sway a little as if he was going to faint. He finally composed himself and walked around the bed to pull up a chair that was on the other side of the room. He sat down and silently stared at her, his face revealed how much he was fighting to compose himself. He reached out and touched her face. He ran his fingers across her brow as if to straighten them. Then he began to speak.

'Cristina, . . . it's me, Burke, . . . I know that you're in a bad place right now, and I know that you may be tempted to give up, . . . but if you can hear me, please, please don't give up. Please fight this, . . . there are so many people who want you to live . . . so many reasons why you should live . . . so many people who love you. I love you, and I can't imagine this world without you in it. We're not done you and me . . . we need another chance . . . I made a mistake, . . . I left . . . but it wasn't to punish you, and I'm so sorry. You know, there wasn't a day that goes by without me thinking about you . . . I missed you . . . I missed walking into the bathroom and finding your clothes and towel all over the floor . . . I missed coming home and finding you dancing . . . I even missed having to clean the kitchen sink because you brushed your teeth in it. I missed going to sleep at night with you in my arms . . . I missed you calling me Burke instead of Preston . . . I missed you. . . Please come back, your friends are here . . . We're all here waiting for you, so please come back to us.'

Dr. Burke spent the entire night talking to Cristina, he dosed off then woke up and went right on talking to her as if by talking he was willing her to wake up. He finally fell asleep just before dawn and was awakened by Bailey lightly tapping him on his shoulder.

'Dr. Burke when did you get here, Were you here all night. ?' He woke up startled. 'Oh Dr. Bailey, I got here last night, how are you?'

'I'm fine but how about you, how are you holding up? My former suck ups called you didn't they?'

Burke smiled then answered, yes George called but I get the feeling that they were all in on it.

'You know, I have to give them credit, they watch out for each other, they're the best set of Interns we've ever had.'

'You're right Dr. Bailey but right now my favorite Intern is great danger and I don't know how to help her.'

'You're already helping her Dr. Burke, just by being here and talking to her, you never know what she hears. However, you won't be any help to her if you don't go and get some rest, so scoot. If Cristina . . . when Cristina wakes up I don't want her to see you looking like crap.'

'Do you really think she is going to wake up Burke asked cautiously?'

'It's hard to tell,' Bailey replied.

'I do know one thing, Cristina has a very good reason to want to live, so I truly believe that she will fight, so keep talking to her, you may just be that extra incentive she needs. I have to go but I'll be back to check on her later. It's really nice seeing you again Dr. Burke, I just wish it was under more pleasant circumstances.' With that Bailey left and Burke went back to Cristina's bedside. He bent over, kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear. 'I have to leave for a little while but I'll come back soon. Remember what I said, fight.


	5. Chapter 5

1

Chapter 5

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

A few hours later Burke was back at the hospital changed and looking a little better but still tired. He did the same routine as before; ran his finger across her brow, bent over and kissed her cheek. He told her stories and read her the newspapers and articles on ground breaking surgeries. He talked to her about everything, anything that he thought may interest her. He told her about surgeries that she was missing, and gossips about the other residents and he told her about himself

"I had a very hard time during my recovery, for a time I thought it would be best if I gave up surgery completely but I couldn't, so I fought and I regained full function of my hand. My point is if I can do it, so can you. You've never been a quitter so don't start now, this is the most important fight of your life, you can't lose it." Burke never stopped talking to her and on the third day Cristina opened her eyes. He had finally rested his head on her bed and had fallen asleep. He awoke suddenly ,feeling that something had changed, it's the feeling you get when someone is watching you and you're not aware of it. Then he heard it, it was so soft that he almost missed it. He looked toward the sound, it was Cristina, her eyes were opened and there were tears running down her face. He looked at her not fully believing what he was seeing, she looked at him pleadingly and his heart ached. They have been apart for so long but nothing had changed, they were still able to communicate with each other without saying one single word. She was glad that he was there.

Burke got up out of his chair bent over her bed and wipe her tears and whispered, " welcome back."

'What happened to me?' Her voice was so soft he could hardly hear her.

'You were involved in a car accident. You have been in a coma for seven days.'

Cristina said something but Burke couldn't hear her so he leaned over so his ears was close to her.

"Christopher . . . where is Christopher, . . . Is he okay," I . . . need to see him."

Burke was taken aback, who was Christopher? And if he was so important to Cristina why wasn't he here. He was a little bit angry but he didn't show it. He could not believe that he spent the last three days losing sleep, telling this woman how much he loved her, coaxing her back to life and the first person she asked for is this Christopher.

He was afraid to know the answer but he needed to know so he asked question.

'Who is Christopher?'

'He's our . . . he's my . . . Meredith, please get Meredith,' and she started to sob quietly.

'Shh, don't cry, okay . . . I'll get Meredith and we can talk about Christopher when you're better.' With that, Burke left the room and went to the nurses station to let them know that Cristina was awake and to page her doctor and Meredith.

Meredith arrived first as she was already on her way to check on Cristina. She was about to enter the room when Burke took her by the arm and led her outside. He seemed upset and somewhat sad, and when he spoke he could hardly control the emotion in his voice.

'Grey; I just spend the last three days with Cristina praying to God to save her life, now she is awake and .. Meredith interrupt "Cristina is awake, when." " Yes she woke up about ten minutes ago, but as I was saying she is asking for someone named Christopher. Since no one will tell me who this Christopher is I suggest you get him here as soon as possible so that I can leave, my work here is done."

Meredith was torn, she wanted to tell Burke who Christopher was but she couldn't that was something Cristina had to do herself, so she tried to coax Burke into staying without saying too much. 'Dr. Burke, I know you're frustrated but please believe me when I tell you that I can't answer that question for you. It has to come from Cristina, but it's not what you think. Please don't go. She needs you.'

Burke was adamant.

'I am not who she needs. She is asking for whom she needs. I don't know why you people thought that it was okay to involve me in a situation where she clearly has moved on. It's been three years Grey. Our time has passed.'

'I am truly sorry that you feel that way Dr. Burke but Cristina is my friend and I'll do anything to help her, and if that means getting you involved, so be it. I don't regret that decision, my friend is now conscious and for that I am thankful and I can guarantee you that pretty soon, you'll be thankful too. So don't be so quick to give up on her. She may just surprise you. Besides, she hasn't moved on and neither have you' if you had, you wouldn't be here.


	6. Chapter 6

1Chapter 6

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

Doctor Cameron came to check on Cristina so Burke had to leave the room. Cameron was new to the hospital and was one of the few people who was not aware of the relationship between his patient and Burke. The doctor was amazed at Cristina's recovery and told she that if she continues to improve she would be able to go home in a few days. When Burke returned to the room she was sleeping, so again he sat and he waited. He was looking through her chart when she woke up, she was still very weak but her voice was stronger. They just looked at each other for a long time and then she spoke. "Thank you" 'For what?'

'For being here.'

He looked at her and at that moment all he wanted to do was crawl into bed with her and hold her just like he did when she lost the baby. But he couldn't. There were too many tubes and he was afraid that he might hurt her. She looked very weak and pale and he had to listen very carefully to hear when she speaks.

He wanted to tell her that he loved her and that he would do anything for her but decided against it, instead he just said "you're welcome."

Meredith who was standing at the door cleared her throat and walked in the room, She asked Dr. Burke to give her a moment alone with Cristina. Burke left and went to find Dr. Shepherd and the chief. The news that Cristina was out of her coma was spreading around the hospital fast and people were staring at Dr. Burke as if he were some kind of miracle worker. He walked down the halls of the hospital just like he had done so many times before. He walked on the runway toward the chief's office and he passed the spot where she was standing the day she begged him not to tell the chief about their relationship. After his visit with the chief he went to see Dr. Shepherd but he was in surgery so he went back to Cristina's room. Meredith was there in her street clothes ready to go. She met Burke at the door.

'I have to go but Cristina needs something from her apartment could you come with me and bring it back to her?'

Burke agreed and set off with Meredith to what he believes was Cristina's apartment. Meredith drove to a quiet neighborhood not far from the hospital and pulled up in the driveway of what looked like a gingerbread house with a sign outside that read Home Daycare Services. She pulled up in a parking space, stopped the SUV and turn to Burke.

"I just have to pick someone up here. I'll be right back." Meredith left and soon returned one hand holding the hand of a little boy and a booster seat in the other. Burke was surprised, Meredith did not strike him as the maternal type but the boy seemed to be very attached to her and she seemed quite comfortable with him, as if they've done this many times before. The child had very striking features with curly black hair which seem too long and unruly for a child so young. The boy couldn't be more than three years old and Burke

thought that he looked very familiar but he couldn't have known him, this child would have been born after he left Seattle. Burke thought that maybe the child belongs to someone he knew

at the hospital and maybe Meredith was only doing someone a favor. He bend down to the child's level to say hello. Meredith just stood there watching them curiously, She knew that this child did not speak to strangers so she was fascinated to see how he would interact with Burke. The little boy looked at Burke curiously but didn't say anything. Burke was about to straighten up when the boy reached out and touched his face and said

"You have a dwimple in your chin just like mine."

Burke looked at Meredith for help, he was not sure what the child was talking about until Meredith pointed to her chin, then he understood. took a closer look at the child's face and for a moment he felt s shiver through his body and he was drawn into a conversation with the child with such ease "you're right you do have a dimple in your chin just like mine. You know my mom use to say it's a sign of stubbornness, are you stubborn? ."

The little boy began to laugh and Burke noticed that he had the whitest teeth. " my mommy says it's a very special dwimple."

Burke was just about to introduce himself to the boy when Meredith intervened, she bent down, took the boy's hand placed it in Burkes hand and said, "Dr. Burke, I'd like you to meet Christopher, Cristina's son, and to the child she said, Christopher, this is Dr. Burke, a friend of mine and a very special friend of your mommy's."


	7. Chapter 7

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Thanks for all the reviews:)

Keep them coming!

Chapter 7

The moment Meredith made the introduction he knew. There was no question of how or when, the little boy standing before him, the little boy who's hand he was holding is his son. He has a son and he didn't know it. She got pregnant once before and didn't tell him, how could she do it again. The first time was understandable. They really didn't know each other very well. They were two responsible people doing very irresponsible things. They allowed their passion for each other to cloud their judgement. He knew that the pregnancy resulted from their very first time together, he knew that because that was the only time that they didn't use any protection. The moment was unplanned, spontaneous and beautiful and even though he knew that it should never have happened he never regretted it. The consequences however, he regretted terribly, It cost her a fallopian tube and most of all it caused her a lot of pain both physical and emotional. The physical pain was over but he was quite sure that she had not fully dealt with the emotional pain. Yet into this volatile situation a little boy was born to two highly educated surgeons. His

Should have been the ideal childhood and yet, here he was illegitimate and being raised by a single mother.

Burke could not get over his feeling of helplessness, this was Christopher, the subject of the profound jealousy he felt an hour ago in Cristina's hospital room, now looking at his little boy all he felt was love. How is it possible he thought, that a few minutes ago he had no knowledge of this child and yet now all he wants to do is protect him. He wondered how Christopher would react when he is told that he was his father. He kept saying the words "I'm a father" over and over in his head, he always knew that one day he would have children, but he never in his wildest dreams thought it would be like this. He wanted to be there when his children were born and he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, Cristina robbed him of that experience. Yet, he couldn't hate her. She had given him the most precious gift, a son. From the moment he met Cristina he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame, the only word to describe how they reacted to each other was reckless and the result of that recklessness was standing in front of him. He was still lost in thought when he felt a tug on his arm, he looked down at Christopher and the child asked, "Are you my mommy's doctor?"

"No, Christopher, I'm a doctor but I'm not your mommy's doctor."

"Can you make my mommy better?"

"Actually, your mommy is doing a lot better so maybe in a few days you'll get to see her."

"That's what Auntie Mere said but I want my mommy now." The child look so sad that Burke just wanted to pick him up and give him a hug. He thought about how lonely the child must feel he was used to having his mommy around and there was no way a child so young can understand why a parent can't be with him.

All through the exchange between Burke and the Christopher Meredith stood quietly watching them with tears in her eyes. She wished Cristina were here to see her son, she would be amazed to know that her little boy who did not speak to strangers had no hesitation about speaking to Burke. It's as if he knew that Burke was someone special. Meredith took the child from Burke strapped him in his seat and closed the door, then she stood outside the SUV and spoke to Burke. "She wanted you to meet him."

"A little too late don't you think, what am I suppose to say to him, hi, I'm your father."

"No, I think you and Cristina will have to discuss how to tell him, right now just be mommy's friend."

"My son calls me Dr. Burke, you're Auntie Mere, you have a relationship with him, doesn't it seem wrong to you."

Meredith looked at Burke and smiled, "no, not really, I'm his godmother, I've been there since day one. My name is on the list at day care so I can drop him off and pick him up. I'm the person who buys him Ice cream when his mother says he shouldn't have any, I'm the person who let him have carrots because he hates peas, I'm the push over, he can wrap me around his little fingers and he knows it. He cannot do that with Cristina, but the love he has for her is beyond anything he'll ever feel for me. And it will be the same with you. Just wait until he finds out that you're his daddy."

Burke was thoughtful for a moment, he hoped Meredith was right, he didn't want to be a disruption in his son's life but he would like to get to know him. "He's very smart for his age isn't he."

"You haven't seen anything yet Meredith replied."

Meredith was lost in thought for a moment, she wanted to find a way to put Burke's mind at ease, then she thought of the perfect solution. "Tell him your name, not Dr. Burke but your real name. See what he says."

Burke went to the other side of the SUV but instead of sitting in the passenger side of the front seat he went to sit with Christopher.

He sat next to the child and ever so often he found himself just looking at him. He thought about how wonderful it would have been to have known him as a baby and to watch him grow into this beautiful little boy. He didn't want Christopher to see him watching him so he started to talk to him instead. "You know, you don't have to call me Dr. Burke, you can call me Preston."

"We have the same name," Christopher said thoughtfully.

Burke wasn't sure if Christopher understood what he said so he tried to make him understand,

"You are Christopher and I am Preston,"

The child began to giggle, "no, silly my name is Preston too, Christopher Preston Yang"

Burke smiled and ruffled the little boy's hair because he didn't know what else to do. He thought of Cristina and how much he loves her, she was so infuriatingly complex and yet when least expected she does the most amazing things. She had their child, on her own without even telling him, and yet she paid him the highest compliment, she gave their son his name.


	8. Chapter 8

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 8

At Cristina's apartment Meredith left Burke and Christopher in the living room and went to the bedroom to find the things Cristina asked for. Burke let his eyes wander around the place, how unlike Cristina it seems. Nothing was out of place. The apartment was much bigger than the one they had shared and everywhere there were pictures of Christopher through various stages of his development. Burke felt very out of place in this apartment, as if he was intruding in their lives. She was a good mother he thought and he was extremely proud of her and even though he was hurt by what she did he knew that he would forgive her because where Cristina was concerned he had no control over his feelings. He felt a tug on his sleeve and he looked down to see Christopher standing there. " Preston, wanna see my room?" the little boy asked. Without waiting for Burke to answer Christopher took his hand and lead him to his room. The room was like a child's sanctuary, to one side there was a bunk bed covered with a blue and white comforter with pictures of the sea and sailors and lots of boats. In another corner was a desk and chair and in a far corner was a toy box brimming over with children's toys. The ceiling of the room was painted in pale blue and there were small yellow lights all over which gives the ceiling the appearance of the night sky with a thousand stars. On one wall there was a mural of trains and boats and over his desk painted to the wall in siluhette the picture of a lone trumpeter playing the trumpet. The next wall was taken up by a built-in book shelf which contained lots of children's books. Over the book shelf was a picture of Christina sitting down with baby Christopher in her arms surrounded by Meredith, Bailey, Izzie, George and Alex. Burke looked at the picture and it made him sad. His son had everything he needed he thought, except him. His eyes took in everything about Christopher's room and came to rest on the picture of the lone trumpeter. Though it was in silluhette Burke knew, the painting was made from a photograph Cristina had taken of him playing the trumpet. He stood there for a while just thinking how subtle she was with the things she did, and yet how meaningful they were. He didn't realize that he had tears in his eyes or that Christopher was watching him until he asked, "Preston, are you crying?"

Burke smiled. "No, Christopher, I am not crying"

"You have something in your eyes?"

"Yes I do"

Christopher looked up at Burke with those big almond-shaped eyes as if to say I don't believe you; then he said "close your eyes."

Burke closed his eyes and Christopher asks him "Can you hear it?"

"Hear what?" Burke asked.

"The twumpeter silly, my mommy said if I can't sleep I should close my eyes and think really hard and I'll hear him play, just for me."

Burke smiled, he thought it was so cute that his son couldn't pronounce the word trumpeter and he bent down, took the little boy's hand and said, "you know what Christopher, I think you have the best mommy in the whole world."


	9. Chapter 9

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 9

Back at the hospital Cristina was lying in her room, Most of the tubes and machinery that kept her alive was removed. She was still extremely weak and in a great deal of pain physical and otherwise. There were some pains that even morphine couldn't ease. Dr. Bailey was sitting with her and talking to her.

"You know Cristina I'm off this weekend. Maybe Christopher could spend the weekend with us. William would be happy to have him. He thinks of him as his little brother."

Cristina spoke so softly that Dr. Bailey had to bend closer to hear what she was saying. I don't know, . . . I told Meredith to introduce Christopher to Burke, . . . I told her not to say anything about his father . . . I have a feeling that Burke is going to figure it out.'

Bailey started to brush the hair from Cristina's face with her hands.

"Well, you know the offer still stands. But I can tell you that there is no way that Burke is going to see that child and not know that he is the father."

Tears started to roll down Cristina's cheeks and she sobbed quietly. 'He is going to hate me. He'll never forgive me.'

"No Cristina, he won't hate you. He'll be disappointed, maybe even angry at you for a while. But he won't hate you. That man loves you more than anything and I think deep down you know it. He spent three days in this room hardly ever leaving, talking to you and reading to you and begging you to live. That's not a man who hates you. You have a chance, don't blow it. Let him know how you honestly feel."

Cristina thought for a while about what Bailey said. She knew that Burke loved her once but she didn't believe that he still did, too much had happened between them. Burke had been away for almost three years and she was sure that he has had his share of women. She noticed Bailey looking at her with a frown on her face so she asked "why are you looking at me like that?" Bailey shook her head and said, "nothing, just don't do anything stupid, I have to go, I'll come to see you before I go home."

Bailey was about to leave the room when Cristina called out to her. "Doctor Bailey"

"Yes Cristina" Bailey answered.

"How come you're always here for me? Every time I have a crisis, and I seem to be having a lot of those lately. When I lost the baby you were the first person I saw when I woke up, you always seem to be around when I need someone and you always know what to say."

Bailey tried to turn sideways so that Cristina couldn't see her face, she was not used to seeing Cristina emotional and she didn't want to admit that she was also very emotional. She had to clear her throat before she spoke. "You know when you first started here I took one look at you and I saw myself. I was just as competitive and fierce, I was the only female in a bunch of male interns and everything that I got I had to fight for. Everyone seems to have a connection to the hospital except me. I was an outsider. When you came here you were an outsider, not anymore, but you were then. Now, everyone who works at this hospital knows who you are and they respect you. Your patients respect you and that I find amazing because you still have the worst bedside manner in the history of modern medicine. The only difference between you and me . . . is that I never fell in love with my attending."

" I never said that I fell in love with Burke."

"You don't have to, it's written all over your face. I have to go, see you later."

"Doctor Bailey"

"What, I have rounds"

"Do you have any sisters?"

"No, why?"

"I think you would make a great big sister."

Bailey left the room without commenting and because she didn't want Cristina so see the tears in her eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

On her way down the hall Bailey ran into Burke who was on his way to see Cristina, they greeted each other and Burke asked "how the patient was doing?"

"She is doing much better thanks to you, but she is still very weak and tired and I know that you have a lot of questions but now is not the time so be careful, or I'll have you banned from her room." With that Bailey walked away and Burke was left thinking that Bailey was still the Nazi.

Burke approached Cristina's room and stood in the door way watching her. She appeared to be sleeping. Her eyes were closed. He walked into the room and pulled up the chair to the side of her bed just like he had done for the past several nights, he sat down and just watched her. He thought about how drastically their lives had changed in the four years since they met. Two pregnancies, one child, a million fights, a gun shot wound, and through it all amazing love. But, was love enough? . He is a world renowned cardiothoracic Surgeon, put him in the OR and he knew exactly what to do, when to do it and what the outcome would be, but this, his personal life was uncharacteristically out of control and he had no idea how to start repairing it or what the outcome would be. Fate, he thought had dealt him a cruel hand, brought them together, gave them a taste of what could be, then ripped them apart.

He blamed himself, he was responsible for all of this, he should have known better, he was older, should have been wiser, should have known there was a price to be paid for everything one do in life. Whatever the outcome, he knew that their lives were forever changed, there was an innocent child involved and they could never go back to the way they were. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't realize that Cristina was not asleep but was quietly watching him until she spoke. "Did you get to meet Christopher" Burke looked at her, she asked the question in such a manner she could have been asking what time it was or what the weather was like?

"Yes, I met him; he's an amazing child."

That made Cristina smiled, "Yes he is, he is smart and intelligent and wise beyond his years."

"Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"What?" Cristina seemed surprised at the question.

"Why didn't you tell me about Christopher?"

"Why, all of a sudden you care."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what Burke, you're in shock so I'll overlook your little act, but please don't play me for a fool. Seeing Christopher shocked you, talking to Christopher shocked you, but you see I have had to contend with a miniature Burke for the last two and a half years so right now I am all Burked out."

Burke was confused he couldn't reconcile the Cristina he knew to the person speaking to him, she sounded distant and bitter. "All Burked out, You sound resentful, do you resent the baby?"

"Resent the baby, he is not a baby, he is my son and he is two and a half years old. I miscarried the baby remember, the baby that you never talk about or cared about."

"Cristina, how can you say that, what makes you think that I didn't care."

Cristina was getting agitated and was beginning to cry, she had bottled up everything inside and now she was about to let it all out.

"I lived with you for over a year, slept with you every night, you said you loved me, you claim to know me and yet you know nothing about me. Did you know that after I lost the baby I would get up every night in cold sweat shaking and crying for no reason at all, feeling guilty because I was planning to terminate the pregnancy? . Did you know that every year on what would have been the baby's birthday I get physically sick? Did you know that for months I tried my very best not to go near the Neo Natal wards because I couldn't stand to see a baby or to hear one cry? Did you know that the day that you broke up with me I had planned on telling you about the baby? Do you have any idea what it feels like to be pregnant and alone that you not only wish the baby would disappear but that you could disappear also? . Did you know that Christopher was supposed to be in the car with me the day of the accident? . Don't you dare talk to me about resenting my child. He saved my life. When Christopher came along the nightmares went away and I began to feel whole again and I love him more than I thought it was ever possible to love someone, more than I thought I was capable of loving anyone. As she spoke, the tears were streaming down her face and Burke sat with his head bowed tears also running down his face. He wiped his eyes and reached out to touch her hand but she pulled away from him. "Christopher represents my second chance to do things right and I'm not going to let you mess that up."

"Cristina, I'm so sorry,...I didn't realize...I'm sorry."

"Didn't realize what that I have feelings? Were you playing games with me Burke? I mean you have a reputation of picking the weakest intern to torture, what was I, easy, did I have screw me, I'm easy written all over my face."

"Cristina don't be crass that's not you."

"Don't be crass" she laughed. "I poured my heart out in that letter. I even gave you my pregnancy test and you never even acknowledged getting them."

"What... what are you talking about. I didn't get a letter from you and I definitely did not get a pregnancy test."

"The night before you left I wrote you a letter, I had just found out that day that I was pregnant. I was feeling sick all the time and falling asleep at unexpected times and I knew something was wrong, but of course I couldn't talk to you because your only problem with me falling asleep is that I do it during sex." . Burke had gotten up and started pacing around the room. Everything was beginning to make sense, Cristina's attitude toward him, the anger and resentment that he could hear in her voice. She believed that he knew about Christopher but chose to abandon them both. She had changed, she was finally speaking her mind and although it hurt to hear some of the things she had to say he was glad that she was opening up to him and he was prepared to face the consequences.

"Where did you put the letter?"

"In your suitcase, it wasn't in an envelope, I thought I would be creative, so I folded the letter around my pregnancy test and wrapped it in gold gift wrap paper and placed it in your suitcase. There is no possible way you couldn't see it so don't pretend."

"I'm not pretending I really didn't see it, where in the suitcase did you put it?"

"There's a small section in the suitcase, just a little pocket with elastic around it, I put it there because I thought it would be easier for you to find it because it wouldn't be mixed up with the rest of your things."

"Cristina, I swear to you, I never found that letter, its probably still in my suitcase. I would never have left if I had known. Why didn't you contact me again after Christopher was born? ."

"Why, so you can dump me again, I complicated your life before remember, so you dumped me because dating an intern was not conducive to being chief, you dumped me again because I was complicating your recovery, how many times do you think I can take being dumped? ."

"I'm not used to failing, everything that I have ever wanted in life, I worked hard for and I accomplished it, I've never really suffered any set back in my career, but this, the one thing that I want more than anything else I've failed at. Do you think you could ever forgive me? ."

She didn't answer.

"Cristina"

"Please Burke, just leave me alone, I'm really tired."

"Okay, get some sleep, I have to go back to the hotel anyway"

"Are you coming back?"

He looked at her pleadingly he wasn't sure if that was just a question or if she really wanted him to be there.

"I'll be back later"

She turned her back so Burke couldn't see the smile on her face.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Burke returned to the hospital later that evening showered, shaved and dressed casually in blue jeans and a simple sweater, he looked so unlike the Dr. Burke that everyone knew. He looked leaner and more handsome than he ever looked before. The nurses on the third floor most of whom were new and did not know Burke personally were all gossiping about how lucky Dr. Yang was and how her little boy looked so much like his father. They were so intent on gossiping that they didn't even see Burke standing there. One nurse was in the middle of saying"I heard that she didn't even tell him about the little boy, I don't think she knows how lucky she is" Burke cleared his throat. "Nurse. I'm sorry I didn't get your name"

"Alexander" the nurse answered, "Emily Alexander."

"Nurse Alexander, I sincerely appreciate your keen interest in my relationship with Dr. Yang but I suggest in future that you limit your comments to medicine where it relates to her care and not her personal life. Oh, and one other thing, I am the lucky one."

With that Burke walked away without giving the nurse the chance to speak. As he approached Cristina's room he got the sense that something was different, there were voices coming from the room, one in particular which he recognized but had not heard in years. It was Cristina's mother Helen. He came close to the room glanced at the window to see who was there. He did not want to intrude and he thought it was wonderful that Cristina's family had finally come to see her. He was very close to his family and he always wanted Cristina to be close to hers. He was sure that they know about Christopher because he saw a picture at Cristina's apartment with Helen holding the baby. Aside from Helen, there was an older gentleman, tall and distinguished looking with greying hair and a younger woman, probably a few years younger than Cristina with the same unruly hair except that her hair was a lighter color. Burke assumed that this was Cristina's sister, although she never once told him that she had a sister. Helen was brushing Cristina's hair and Burke could tell that Cristina hated that. The younger woman stepped aside as if to get closer to the bed and it left a space between the window and the Gentlemen and Burke could see Cristina clearly but she couldn't see him because she had turned sideways. As Burke was about to leave, she turned around and saw him. Their eyes locked and Burke smiled at her, she didn't say anything but she looked at him pleadingly and he knew that she didn't want him to be there right now so he left.

He had rented a car a few days earlier and decided that since it was still early he would phone Meredith and see if it was okay to visit Christopher. Meredith sounded happy to hear from him and said that Christopher would be happy to see him. As he pulled up in front of Meredith's house, he could see Christopher peeking out the window Burke got out of the car and as soon as he did the little boy came running out of the house, Burke bends down with his arms stretched out and Christopher ran right into his arms. He wrapped his arms around him and picked him up and all the turmoil of the day suddenly just disappeared and he just wanted to hold his son. He had been In Seattle for over a week and this is the first time that he had felt so welcomed. He closed his eyes tightly fighting back tears as the little boy wrapped his little arms around his neck. Meredith stood at the door looking at them and she hoped that one day she would experience such unconditional love from a child. Burke smiled at her and said "So Auntie Mere what time does he go to bed. ?"

"Oh he's got about an hour but I think it's okay for him to be a little late tonight."

"Did you know that her family is here?"

"Yes, came this evening, don't worry have fun with your little surprise."

"You've been good to him, thank you."

"No problem, consider it payback for not getting me arrested for forging your signature that time."

Burke smiled and for the first time in weeks the smile reached his eyes and it was a happy smile. "I'll bring him back in an hour."

He was going toward the car when Meredith stopped him, you're forgetting something and she handed him a booster seat. His mother will have a fit if you put him in a car without this she said. Here, I'll show you how to strap him in. In ten minutes they were at the ice cream store and Burke asked Christopher what flavor he liked. "I like chocolate" Christopher answered "which one do you like Preston"

"I like chocolate too."

They bought their ice cream and sat at a little table, just the two of them eating and talking like they've known each other their entire life. When they were done Burke started to wipe Ice cream from Christopher's hands and face when the little boy said.

"Preston, are you my dad?"

Burke froze he didn't know how to answer the question and he didn't want to lie to his son. He looked in the little boy's eyes and something tells him that Christopher knew exactly who he was. No medical book ever prepared him on how to answer this question.

"Do you think I'm your father?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that? .'

"I figured it out."

Burke smiled, he couldn't believe he was having such a grown up conversation with such a little boy and he remembered something Cristina said, "Christopher was wise beyond his years." While Burke was busy thinking how to get out of the conversation Christopher continued.

"My mommy told me that my daddy is a doctor, she said he takes care of hearts."

"What else did she tell you. ?"

"She said he has a dwimple in his chin just like me."

"What else?"

"She said he was tall and handsome."

Burke started to tickle Christopher and he started to giggle, the child had the cutest giggle, they were making a game of it and they both seemed very happy, no one seeing them would believe that they had just recently met each other.

"What else did she tell you. ?"

"She said my daddy's name was Preston, just like me."

Burke stopped tickling Christopher and just stood there looking at him. She told him, there was no mistake, Christopher knew.

"What else?"

"She said sometimes mommies and daddies can't be together but that they still love me."

"Are you sure you're only two and a half".

"I'm gonna be three on cwistmas day."

"You were born on Christmas day"

"Yeah, just like baby Jesus."

Burke picked the little boy up and held him close, Christopher wrapped his arms around his neck and Burke told him.

"Christopher, I love you and yes, I am your dad."

He took Christopher back to the car and strapped him in his seat, he checked the time and realized that he should have taken him back more than an hour ago. They were late and Christopher was getting sleepy. By the time they got to Meredith's he was already fast asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 12

Meredith was waiting up for them and Burke apologized for keeping him out so late. Burke asked if he could put him to bed and Meredith showed him the room Christopher was staying in and gave him Christopher's pajamas. Burke changed the little boy's clothes and tucked him into bed, he gave him a kiss on the cheek and said good night but Christopher was fast asleep and didn't hear.

Burke went back downstairs and spoke to Meredith. "Did you know that he knew who I was?"

"Based on the questions he asked, yes. I think he had it all figured out. Cristina will not lie to him and she has been feeding him information about you since the day he was born. He has always known your name and that he looks like you, and he has always known that he has the same cleft in his chin like yours"

Burke smiled, "you mean the dwimple."

Meredith couldn't help but laugh, "I mean the dwimple."

"Who told him about baby Jesus?"

"I don't know, why?"

"He told me that he was born on Christmas day just like baby Jesus, Cristina is Jewish so I'm quite sure she didn't."

"Maybe she did. She is pretty good at teaching him stuff. When he was a baby, we couldn't use baby talk when we spoke to him. She said gu-gu ga-ga was not a language and we shouldn't confuse her child. So we all spoke to him like he knew what we were saying and he did."

"Thanks again Meredith, You're going to make a great mother some day.

"Thanks to Christopher, I'm getting a lot of practice."

Burke drove back to his hotel and lay across the bed. For the first time since he came back to Seattle, he was going to spend the entire night in this bed. He needed the rest badly but he missed Cristina and wanted to be right next to her even if that meant that he had to sleep in a chair. In his pocket he could feel the little gift Cristina had hidden in his suitcase three years ago he found it exactly where she said she put it. He wanted to open it, but he wanted to prove to her that he really didn't see it before, so he had planned on opening it in front of her tonight but her family was there. He wondered if they knew about him and if they loved Christopher. He ordered room service but hardly ate anything. He reflected on the evening and the wonderful time he spent with his son. What a joy it was to just sit there eating ice cream with him. Two weeks ago he had no idea that he was a father, didn't think he ever would be. He had lost Cristina and any possibility of having children was gone. He simply wasn't interested in sharing his life with anyone else. Tonight, however, had changed everything. He could not imagine his life without Cristina and Christopher. He wanted them both in his life and he couldn't have one without the other. The argument they had earlier opened up his eyes to many things, they really didn't talk, didn't discuss their personal problems. Before he left Seattle they would discuss Hospital business and surgeries but their own personal problems were just glossed over. If they had communicated more openly, their lives wouldn't be in the mess its in today. If he had the chance again, he would do things differently. He wanted Christopher to grow up in a home with a mom and a dad, he wanted him to feel loved and secure and most of all he wanted him to be happy. He was changing his clothes to go to bed when the contents of his pocket fell on the floor. He bent to pick them up and the first thing that he touched was the small package from Cristina. He stared at it for a while contemplating wether or not he should open it or wait until he was with her. He decided to open it. Just as she told him, the package contained her pregnancy test, a letter and something that she didn't mention, her Ipod. He wondered why that was there since it was one item that Cristina seemed to be attached to. He put the pregnancy test aside. He already knew the result of that. He opened the letter and started to read.

_Dear Burke,_

_I don't know how to start this letter or wether or not I can even finish it. If you're reading it that means that you've already left for Alabama. I'm sorry about last night it should not have happened and I know some of the things that I said was very unfair. If going away is what you really think that you need to do then that's fine but there's something you should know and I'm not telling you this with any expectations. I don't expect you to change your plans but I don't want to keep anything from you, so here goes, I'm pregnant. I guess this explains all the fatigue and sleepiness._

_I'm not going to ask what you think we should do, I think I already know what has to be done. I guess mother nature has the last laugh, she is determined to make a mother out of me and I can't fight her anymore. I have no idea how I'm going to handle this and for the first time since we've been together I feel totally alone. I can't talk to my family about this. They won't approve, and I haven't spoken to any of my friends. I don't think anyone can ever really appreciate the conflicting emotions that I am experiencing right now. I find it ironic that when you needed me I couldn't control my emotions enough to be there for you and now, I need you more than I have ever needed anyone and you're leaving. I can admit that I have failed you but I never believed that you would do the same to me. I guess I took it for granted that you would always be there for me. I'm not going to beg you to stay._

_I've never been good at expressing my emotions but when you came into my life I thought I had finally found the one person who understood me. You wouldn't allow me to hide behind my work or any imaginary walls that I built. You were the first person that I felt truly loved me and you gave that love so openly regardless of how much I tested you. Our relationship is the best thing that ever happened to me and I have no regrets. There is a song in my Ipod which I believe expresses how I feel better than I ever could. I have always thought of it as our song, listen to it. Thanks for making this past year the best of my life. Take care of yourself, think of me once in a while._

_Always,_

_Cristina _


	13. Chapter 13

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

The lyrics from the song Amazing love belongs to Luther Vandross. No copyright infringement intended

Chapter 13

Burke finished reading the letter and he had tears in his eyes, his head was pounding from a terrible headache. She ended the letter, making sure that he understood that she knew that he loved her and yet the three words that he wanted to hear the most were not there. Yet he wasn't disappointed because she said it, not in those words, but it was there and he had to smile because knowing Cristina he was lucky to have gotten the message so clearly. It made him sad to realize that for three years he had that letter and didn't know about it. Their lives would have been so different if he had only known. He can't imagine what she must have gone through believing that he knew all along, What it must have cost her to bring his child into the world without any assistance from him. She has never been more open with him than she was in that letter. And even though it was a relatively short letter it had said so much.

He unwrapped the tiny headphones from around the ipod and pressed play. The first few words of the song combined with Luther's smooth voice said it all. _"Love has truly been good to me...not even one sad day or minute have I had since you've come my way." _He listened to the song in its entirety, then listened to it again _"It's so amazing to be loved, I'd follow you to the moon in the sky above." _Who knew that his arrogant little intern would turn out to be such a romantic, but that she was. He read her letter and listened to the song over and over, there was so much he didn't know about her. He had no idea that she liked listening to Luther Vandross songs, but here she was presenting him with the ultimate Vandross love song. He must have fallen asleep because he woke up startled to the phone ringing, he said hello but no one answered, he said hello again and still no one answered. He almost hanged up the phone when a thought crossed his mind so he called her name "Cristina is that you," still no answer "Cristina I know it's you, are you okay" She answered very softly

"Yes"

"What are you doing up, it's almost two in the morning."

"I can't sleep"

"Why can't you sleep?"

"I don't know"

"Are you in any pain?"

"No"

"Is anyone there with you?" He was referring to her family but didn't say so.

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No"

"Then what do you want, I can't help you unless you tell me"

"You really didn't know that I was pregnant?"

"No Cristina, I really didn't know."

She didn't make a comment and he knew that she was thinking but he wanted to keep her talking.

"I saw Christopher tonight, and I took him out for Ice cream."

"Yeah"

"He asked if I was his father" Why didn't you tell me that he knew.

"He has always known about you but I didn't know that he would figure it out so fast. All I told him was your name that you were a doctor and that he looks like you. He goes to daycare and he goes to Bailey's and he knows that other children have fathers so he wanted to know why he didn't have one. I can't lie to him Burke."

"I didn't expect you to, I can't lie to him either, so I told him the truth."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, he fell asleep in my arms."

Cristina didn't comment, she was so happy that it was finally out, her little boy wouldn't have to feel left out anymore he has a father like all the other little kids in daycare.

"Burke, do you love him?"

"More than life itself."

"I thought you would be mad at me if you found out that I didn't terminate the pregnancy, that's why I didn't contact you after he was born."

"And why would I do that?"

"Well, we never discussed what we would do if something like that happens, even after the first one. I know that you weren't ready for a child. I know I wasn't"

"I thought we were being so careful. I didn't anticipate anything like that happening, but I am glad that he is here."

"Are you really?"

"Yes. I had a hard time taking him back to Meredith's tonight. I was tempted to bring him here with me but I didn't want to rush things. I want to make sure that he is comfortable with me first."

She was quiet again but he could hear her breathing, he wondered if she was too tired.

"Cristina, maybe you should try to get some sleep."

"Why? You don't want to talk to me."

"I could talk to you all night but I don't want to tire you out."

"All I've been doing for the past couple of weeks is lying here. I need to get out of this bed. I need to see my baby and I want to go home." She sounded frustrated, on the verge of crying. He wanted to just hang up the phone, rush to the hospital and comfort her but he knew that she didn't want him to. He decided to take her mind off the situation by asking about Christopher.

"Tell me about Christopher."

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything, everything."

"Well, he was born on Christmas day, he came a little bit earlier than expected . . . Weighed seven pounds ten ounces, ...had more hair than I have ever seen on any new born, and he was the cutest baby ever born. She stopped for a while then continued. He is smart, and I'm not just saying this because he is mine, he is really very smart, and he is loving. I would get home from work tired and worn out and he would wrap his little arms around my neck and kiss my cheek and say "Mommy I love you, and it's the best feeling in the whole world."

Burke was listening intently, he knew the feeling she mentioned, it's the same feeling he had earlier when Christopher hugged him. He wanted to hear more. She continued

"When he was first born, I was so afraid that I would lose him that I wouldn't sleep. I kept remembering things I read about SIDS and so instead of sleeping when he sleeps, I would stand over his crib and watch him sleep."

"I wish that I was here to help you."

"My mom came and stayed with us for four months. She was really very good with him. It's amazing how much having a child can change one's perspective. I have a new appreciation for my mother. I don't think I could have done it without her help."

Burke was happy to hear her say that, he always believed that Cristina's strained relationship with her mother was more a result of Cristina' stubbornness than anything awful than Helen may have done. Cristina continued

"He loves books and he is learning to read,... he hates vegetables but loves carrots... He doesn't warm up to strangers easily but once he gets to know you he is fine. He loves the other interns. They're like surrogate aunts and uncles to him. He is very close to Dr. Bailey's family and he is especially close to William. He loves animals and wants a cat for his birthday. Burke smiled at that, he remembered having a cat when he was a child. He wanted to hear more and could listen all night to Cristina talking about their son. Her voice seemed to change when she talks about him, there was a sense of pride in her voice and he could tell that Cristina truly loves Christopher. For a moment he felt just a slight feeling of jealousy. Christopher had succeeded where he had failed, he made Cristina love him openly and without any fear of rejection. She was still talking. That's all you're getting for now."

"One more question"

"What?"

"Does your family know about me?"

"To a certain extent, yes."

"To a certain extent, what does that mean?"

"They all know that I was involved with someone who was a doctor here, but my mother is the only one who knows that you're Christopher's father. I ask her not to say anything."

"So I'm your deep dark secret."

"No, you're not my deep dark secret. My mother knew without me even telling her. She took one look at Christopher when he was born and said _so it's that good looking doctor again. When are you two going to stop making babies and get married, is this how I raised you_?"

Burke smiled, he could actually picture Cristina's mom saying those things. At least he was sure that he had an alley in Helen. "She is right you know."

"Right about what?"

"We should stop making babies... She interrupted before he could finish what he was saying.

"Don't worry Burke, I'm finished making babies with you."

"Are you sure about that?"

"You know what Burke, you know the thing that people do to make babies, we're not doing it."


	14. Chapter 14

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 14

He laughed, she was starting to sound like the old Cristina again and he liked that so he decided to tease her some more. "That used to be your favorite thing to do to me."

"Not anymore, I've learned my lesson. I wouldn't touch you with a long stick."

Burke was enjoying this conversation, "I think the long stick part is my forte."

"I see Alabama has turned you into a pervert."

"No, I think the perversion part started when this wild haired intern walked into my on call room one day and locked the door. I still haven't recovered from that encounter."

Cristina started to smile but she didn't want him to know that she was enjoying this banter. "That intern must have been out of her mind."

"Not before, definitely after, then again, she blew my mind too."

"I hope that's all she blew."

"Now who's being the pervert? I found your letter. It was exactly where you said you put it. That suitcase has been in my mother's attic for the last three years and I didn't know that letter was in it."

"Did you read it?"

"What if I haven't."

"Then don't read it, give it back. The content of that letter is irrelevant."

"What part of it is irrelevant? The part where you said that I was the first person that you felt truly loved you, or was it the part where you said that our relationship was the best thing that ever happened to you. Or maybe it was the song, was it the song because I took those words literally and I have that song playing in my head even now."

"It's too late"

"No, it's not, but we need to talk about this."

"Burke, you are not my boss anymore, you're not even my boyfriend anymore so please don't tell me when I can or can't talk. You're acting as if we can just pick up where we left off almost three years ago."

"I don't expect us to pick up where we left off, or repeat our mistakes and I certainly don't want to be your boyfriend."

Cristina was surprised by his words, surprised that she was so hurt by it. "Then what do you want?"

" I want you to ...no, figure it out, and go to sleep it's almost morning."

"I can't sleep, it happened before, I don't know why."

"Maybe you should ask the nurse for sleeping pills. How often has this been happening?" He asked the question, knowing fully well what the answer would be, he had experienced the same thing.

"It started when you first left."

"I'm sorry." That's all he could say because he knew that nothing could ever change the hurt and abandonment she felt when he left. He wanted to continue talking to her, he could sense that deep down she really didn't want him to hang up the phone so he asked her about the letter again.

"Did you really mean what you said in the letter?"

"At the time, yes."

"How about now."

She sounded very sad as if she had given up on him. "I don't know, you left and I don't know

He interrupted her "Cristina. There has been no one else."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, Seriously."

"That intern must have really screwed with your head."

"Hmm, not just my head."

"What if she wants to screw with your head again."

He laughed. "She can screw me anytime she wants to"

"Burke. I'm scared."

"Of what, Loving me?"

"No, I can't handle being hurt again and I can't expose Christopher to any situation where he is going to end up being hurt. It's been the two of us for so long and it's been okay, but if he thinks that he's got you, what happens when you leave."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"What about your job?"

"I will have to go back to tie up loose ends but it won't be for long." He realized that she needed reassurance and that she was worried about Christopher. "I would never deliberately do anything to hurt you or our son."

"I know you may not want to but what if ...

"No what ifs, you're tired, close your eyes"

"My eyes are closed"

"Okay listen' he pressed play on the Ipod and put the headset to the phone, listen to the song and go to sleep" He let the song play and when it was finished he asked, "are you still awake?"

She barely answered and he knew she was falling asleep. He started to talk to her softly. "Pretend that I'm there, I'm lying right next to you and I am holding you" She was talking to him but very softly and she sounded as if she was far away.

"Is that all you're doing to me?"

"Yes, you're sick remember"

"I want more than that"

"Okay. So I'm kissing you, and you're kissing me back."

"Where are you kissing me?"

"Everywhere"

"Burke"

"What"

"you're worst than me telling the story of the naughty nurses"

"shut up I'm kissing you"

"I do, you know."

"Do what?"

"Love you"

He wanted to shout it to the world but she was falling asleep and he wanted her to rest so he quietly said "I know, good night Cristina."

"It's morning" she reminded him."

"Okay, good morning Cristina, I love you."


	15. Chapter 15

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 15

After hanging up the phone with her he lay on the bed and was soon consumed by sleep. In his dreams he was transported to the most beautiful place. _They were on an island of sorts, somewhere in the Caribbean on a private beach. It was late evening and in the distance the sun was setting and had cast its golden rays upon the turquoise waters of the ocean. They were lying on towels in the sand face up looking at the sky marveling at the different shapes formed by the clouds. Earlier in the day it had rained and though it had no effect on the temperature it resulted in the most beautiful rainbow across the evening sky. The beauty of it all was overwhelming and he turned on his side and pulled her close. "They say there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow'" he told her, "and I think I've found mine."_

_She looked at him curiously, "how strange," she said "I was thinking the same thing."_

_They stared at each other for a while each lost in their own thought. He could see his reflection in her eyes and she looked away suddenly like a shy child. He pointed out to sea "there's a ship going by" he told her, and she wondered if the people on board could see them._

_This place of solace and beauty is where he had brought her. They were on their honeymoon and he had surprised her with the trip. The world of hospitals and surgeries seems so far away and it surprised him that she never once mentioned work. The only thing missing was Christopher who was spending time with his grandparents in California. She had wanted to take the child with them but he had insisted that this was their time alone. They spent their days snorkeling and Scuba diving and most evenings fell asleep on the beach before waking up and going back to their rustic little cabin. He had specifically asked the travel agent for a place like this, away from too many tourists and commercialism. He had never seen her happier and he secretly hoped that she hasn't changed too much. He still wanted his brash unpredictable Cristina._

_He woke up much later. The rainbow had disappeared. The sun had set and in its place the moon shined brightly and the sky was now populated by a million stars. He looked over at her and at first he thought she was still asleep. He was surprised when she said, "there's a man in the moon and he is watching every move you make so stop looking at me like that."_

_He smiled, "looking at you like what."_

"_Like you're starving and I'm the main course."_

"_Don't put ideas in my head, ... anyway, you're more like dessert."_

_She pretended to be upset, "so you're comparing me to pastry?"_

"_No, not really, you have your own unique taste. You're the sweetest part of the meal, just not very good for ones health." He was getting a kick out of teasing her._

"_Thanks for telling me that."_

_She sat up and started to take off her bathing suit. He watched her, wondering what she was up to. She stepped right over him naked and headed toward where they had left the picnic basket earlier. She was frantically searching for something. He had no idea what. Whatever it was she found it because she was now headed back toward him. He was still lying down on his side resting his weight on one elbow watching her. In her hand she held a small container of something. She sat down next to him, gave him a cute little smile, then kissed him. He rolled over on his back and she started to run her hands slowly down the center of his body passed his belly button to where his swim trunks meet his hips. Her hands slipped through the waistband of his trunks, then she retreated. He thought she was going further, wanted her to go further but she stopped and her hands headed upwards. All along she was kissing him but would not meet his eyes. She removed the lid from the small bottle she was holding and started to squirt the content over his body from his chest downwards. He watched her as if he was in a trance. He still didn't know what she was putting on his body, all he knew was that he was in agony. He watched her put the bottle to her mouth and squeezed it. She then bent over him and kissed him passionately. Honey, she had squirted honey all over his body and he couldn't wait to see what she would do next. He cupped her face with his hands, holding her steady returning her kiss and trying to prolong it as long as possible. He finally had to release her lips. They were both breathless. _

_She started to kiss a trail down his body and in the process removing all the honey that she had put there. He reached for her but she pulled away and continued to kiss her way down his body. She got to his bellybutton and circled it with her tongue. She never touched him with her hands and every time he reached for her she pulled away. When she finally removed all the honey form his body she brought her lips down to his and kissed him again. She released his lips and whispered in his ear "Think twice next time before you compare me to dessert. I just had dessert."_

_He reached out to grab her, determined to make her pay for what she just did but she wasn't there. He started feeling around._

There was no sand, just his pillow. There was no ocean just his bed. He sat up startled, frantically looking around suddenly realizing that it was all a dream. He looked down on his body annoyed. No signs of honey but there were other signs. He got out of bed headed to the bathroom turned, the shower on cold and let the water numb his body.


	16. Chapter 16

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 16

He dressed left the hotel and went to pick up his son. It was Saturday and he had told Meredith that he wanted to take the child out to lunch. As usual the little boy was very excited to see him but he was much quieter than Burke had come to expect. They went to the mall and shopped for clothes. They visited a pet store. Burke remembered that Cristina said Christopher wanted a cat for his birthday which was in three months and he wanted to see what kind of cat Christopher liked. At the entrance to the pet store was a large bird cage with a parrot that greeted people by saying hello. Christopher was fascinated by this and spent some time talking to the bird. Burke had a hard time getting him to leave the bird but once they visited the cats he was happy again. He set his sight on a tiny white kitten who looked more like a ball of cotton instead of a living thing. The pet store attendant took the tiny kitten out of its cage and allowed Christopher to touch it. For the first time that day the child actually smiled. He held the cat up to his face and rubbed his cheeks against it. Burke stooped down and patted the kitten's head. "You know Christopher. I had a cat when I was your age too." Burke was hoping that by talking about the cat Christopher would open up to him and tell him what was wrong."

"Did your cat have a name?"

Encouraged by the question Burke went on "his name was Linus, he was grey with black stripes and he had big green eyes."

"Where is your cat now?" Christopher finally started to show some interest in the conversation

"He got sick and then he died."

Again the child's disposition changed and he asked "can we go now?"

"Sure buddy, anything you want."

After leaving the pet store they went to lunch but still the child would hardly speak. He barely picked at his lunch and would only speak when he was spoken to.

Burke knew that something was wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it. He felt inadequate as a father. He wished he had more experience dealing with children, especially this child who has a way of tugging at his heart just like his mother did. He wondered what happened to the cheerful little boy of yesterday. He decided that they were not leaving the table until he found out what was wrong.

He leaned forward and asked "do you need anything else?"

The little boy shook his head indicating no.

"Are you mad at me?"

The little boy looked at him with a surprised look on his face and answered "No"

Burke decided to try another technique. "You know Christopher sometimes grownups don't have all the answers. Sometimes we need little ones like you to teach us things, and you could teach me a lot today if you would tell me what's wrong."

"I want mommy."

Relief washed over Burke, Christopher was missing his mother. "If I take you to see mommy, will that make you happy?"

All of a sudden the little boy's face lighted up and his eyes sparkled again and he answered "Yes"

"Okay, to mommy we'll go then."

"You promise?" the child asked, wanting to make sure that Burke wouldn't change his mind.

"I promise" Burke answered and he started to wipe the little boy's hands and mouth.

He picked up their bags, took the child's hand and walked toward his car. Christopher's disposition had changed drastically, he was now the cheerful little boy he was the day before.

"Do you think mommy will be happy to see me?" He asked.

"Mommy will be very happy to see you" Burke was sure that a surprise visit from Christopher would mean the world to Cristina.

"Should I still call you Preston?"

The question took Burke by surprise. He had never thought about it but obviously, Christopher had.

"Do you want to call me Preston?"

"nope"

"Wanna call me Dr. Burke?"

"Nope"

Burke stopped walking, bent down in front of Christopher, took his little hands in his and asked, "how about calling me daddy?"

The familiar giggle was there again, and the little boy answered "okay daddy."

They continued on their journey, one happy little boy and his father. Burke wondered at the ironies in his life. He had planned his life every step of the way, and for the most part everything worked out exactly as he planned. But the best part of his life, the happiest part was the part he didn't plan. This little boy was not planned.

As they passed the nurses station heading toward Cristina's room, Burke could feel all eyes on them. To most, this was the first time that they would see father and son together, and hopefully, would end years of speculation as to who the child's father was. Just outside the room Burke stopped and bend down to speak to Christopher. "Mommy is in this room. I want you to go in and see mommy. I'm going to see Dr. Shepherd then I'll come back to get you okay." Burke wanted to give mother and son time alone.

"Okay daddy"

"Can I get a hug?"

Christopher wrapped his little hands around Burke's neck and hugged him. Burke peeked in the room, Cristina was sitting up in bed reading a magazine. He moved out of sight and told Christopher to go. As the child entered the room Cristina looked up and saw him. She screamed his name in such delight and Christopher shouted "mommee" ran toward her. She picked him up and pulled him unto her bed oblivious to any pain that the act may have caused her. She hugged him to her so tightly and he hugged her back and they stayed that way for a while without talking. Finally Cristina released him and had to physically ply his little hands from around her neck. She held his little face in her hands and looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. She remembered doing the same thing when he was first born and she would sit and stare at him wondering if he was really hers. She hugged him again and kissed his little cheeks and as much as she tried to fight it, the tears came. She was trying so hard not to let Christopher see her cry, so she held him to her with one hand and wiped her tears with the other. When she was finally able to compose herself, she put him in a sitting position in her lap and asked. "Who brought you here baby?"

"Daddy" Christopher answered proudly. He went to see Dr. Shepherd.

"At that moment Burke who was still standing outside the room out of sight, peeked in wanting to make sure that they were okay before he leaves. She saw him and their eyes locked for a moment and she mouthed 'thank you." And he left.

Cristina ran her fingers through Christopher's hair. "I missed you so much baby"

"I missed you too, mommy." Christopher was looking at her as if he was searching for a sign that she was okay then he leaned back into her and she cuddled him. "Are you still sick mommy?"

Cristina thought about the question carefully. She didn't want to worry him. 'No, mommy just need a little bit more rest okay, so don't worry mommy will be home real soon." She ruffled his hair, "your hair has grown so much, I think you need a hair cut."

"That's what daddy said."

The ease at which Christopher referred to Burke as daddy did not go unnoticed by Cristina and she felt a little bit uneasy. Her son, in a very short time had become very attached to his father and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She had always dreamed of this day and now it scares her. What if he loves Burke more than he loved her?

"Mommy, you're not listening" Christopher's voice brought her back to reality.

"I'm sorry sport, what did you say"

"Daddy took me to the pet store today and I saw a bird that talks."

"You did, what did the bird say."

"It said, hello my name is Polly."

"Sound like a very smart bird" Cristina answered kissing her son on the top of his head.

"Know what else I saw?"

"What else did you see."

" A cat and the man let me hold him. It's a baby cat. It's very tiny."

"You had a good time with daddy hmm?"

"Yeah, I love daddy" Christopher said innocently.

Cristina closed her eyes tightly as if to stop the tears from flowing. You and me both sport. She thought to herself.

Christopher started to yawn, the busy day finally caught up with him. " I'm tired mommy."

Cristina moved over on the bed making space so Christopher could lie down. "Close your eyes and go to sleep and I'll be right here when you wake up okay."

"Okay mommy," he said sleepily, . . . "mommy, tell daddy not to leave me."

"Okay baby" She kissed her son's cheek and started to hum a little song to him which had been their routine since he was a baby. In no time Christopher was fast asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 17

Through the blinds at the window Burke could see Derek Shepherd sitting at the desk in the small office making notes. He seemed Focused on what he was doing and Burke wondered if this was a good time to interrupt him. He looked a little bit sad Burke thought, not the self-assured surgeon that he once considered his chief rival. In a way they both seemed battle weary

Time is supposed to heal all wounds burke thought, obviously in both our cases it hasn't.

He knocked on the door. He did not wait for an answer but opened the door and entered the room. Shepherd looked up annoyed as if to ask what the imposter wanted. When he saw that it was Burke he smiled, got out of his seat and stretched his hand forward to shake Burke's hand.

"Dr. Burke, I heard through the grape vine that you were back in town. I wondered how long it would take for you to grace us with your presence." Derek said smiling.

"You know Shepherd, people who save my life are allowed to call me Preston." Burke replied. "You're a busy man, every time I try to see you, I'm told that you're in surgery."

"Well, you know the drill, as long as you have surgery you don't have time to focus on your own problems."

"Hmm, but you can't run away from your problems. I have living proof of that."

Derek smiled, "I'm sure you do. Let's get out of here Preston, lets go to joe's. I really need a drink right now."

Burke considered the proposition for a moment. He was not really the bar type but he could tell that his former colleague was a little down. "Well lets go, I have to check on someone on three before we leave, it won't take long."

They walk toward Cristina's room together, making small talk as they go along. As they approach the room, Derek slowed down wanting Burke to go ahead alone. Burke got to the room but stood outside the door looking in. They were both asleep; mother and son. Derek came forward, wondering why Burke wasn't going in. He looked at the two dark-haired people fast asleep on the bed. He turned to Burke and say "Preston, you are the luckiest man I know."

At the bar Burke ran into some familiar faces from the hospital. He greeted joe who was very happy to see the man who once helped to save his life. "I hope you're back with us for good Dr. Burke" Joe shouted across the bar. Which seemed quite busy for early evening. "We'll see about that Joe" Burke answered. They ordered their drinks and Derek turned to Burke and asked. "So how is the hand?"

Burke held out his hand as if to show that there were no more tremors. "As good as new" he answered. "I never got the opportunity to thank you for all you did to save my hand. Thank you."

Derek stared into his glass before answering. "I'm a surgeon Preston, that's what I do, and in your case failing was not an option, I couldn't handle the guilt."

"I thought you'd welcome the opportunity to get rid of one of your rivals" Burke said jokingly

Derek smiled, "I thought about killing you, just didn't want to ruin my reputation."

"On the subject of guilt, how are things with you and Addison and you and Meredith?"

Derek looked at his watch. "How much time do you have?"

"That bad" Burke asked, not quite believing that Derek had lost both women in his life.

"Neither one of them wants anything to do with me and I can't say that I blame them." He swirled the drink around in his glass before he continued. "Addison was from the beginning. We were young and idealistic, ... we thought that together we could conquer the world... Then reality sunk in and you realize that your ideals and reality are two different things...I neglected her and she found solace in another man's arms." He took a sip of his drink before continuing, "Meredith, Meredith was like a breath of fresh air...I met her here, right at this bar...had no idea that we would be working together the very next day... If there was ever a case of love at first sight that was it...but of course I neglected to tell her one minor little detail, ... that I was married." He took another sip from his glass. "So, I lost them both. Meredith has her vet and Addison has McSteamy."

"Mc who?"

Derek laughed. "Mark, my former best friend."

Burke nodded his head in understanding.

"And that, my friend, is the story in a nut shell. You could learn something from this Preston."

"What's that?" Burke asked

"Don't ever take the people you love for granted." He called joe for another drink. "Or you'll end up with no one."

Burke contemplated what Derek said, he was still on his first drink while Derek was on his third.

"I think your lesson may have come too late."

"So what are you going to do?"

Burke took a sip from his drink, "about what?"

"About your family Preston, that's what they are you know. That picture perfect post card scene that we just left in bed across the street. That's your family."

Burke didn't answer. He called joe over to refill his glass.

Derek continued. "You're a lucky man Preston, cease the day."

"Luck had nothing to do with it Shepherd, I planned it perfectly, that's all." They both started to laugh at the absurdity of that comment.

"You knocked up the smartest intern at the hospital, twice, You some how got her to fall in love with you. You left her pregnant, she gave birth to your son, and I might add you won the genetic lottery because you have the cutest, smartest two year old I've ever known."

"Two and a half Burke interrupted, he makes a point of telling me that he is two and a half."

"Anyway, my point is" Derek continued "you took a chance on Cristina that could have ruined your career as well as hers. She put her career at risk by having that baby. You both got lucky and maybe there is a greater reason for it, but you don't have the time to figure out the deeper reasons why this happens. Accept the fact that you are extremely lucky. Put the perfect ending to that picture we left over there" he pointed toward the hospital. "There's one person missing from that picture Preston, you."

Burke drained his glass and looked at Derek, "If I had known that you talk so much when you drink Shepherd, I would have taken you here years ago. Ply you with drinks and let you tell me what it is between you and Richard why he felt he had to bring you here to compete with me. By the way did you always know that Christopher was mine?"

Derek laughed. "Stevie wonder could see that Christopher was yours."

" Where is your car keys Shepherd?"

"In my pocket, why?"

"Give them to me. You're not fit to drive. I'll take you home."

"You think that I'm drunk?"Derek felt insulted.

"No" Burke answered cautiously.

" But you have definitely had too much to drink and I almost lost someone very dear to me to someone who probably thought that he was also okay to drive. I don't want to be responsible for you killing anyone."

Derek reached in his pocket, took out his keys and handed them to Burke. "You're a good man Preston. How come we couldn't be friends when you worked here?"

Burke contemplated the question before answering, "Because like Richard once said, we're both arrogant surgeons."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

He had driven Derek home and taken a cab back to the hospital to spend some time with Cristina before taking Christopher home. She was sitting up in bed, reading. Christopher was still sleeping, his head resting in her lap. She was holding her book with one hand and with the other she was gently playing with Christopher's hair. The sight of the two of them filled him with so much pride. _"They are your family, Preston." _Derek Shepherd's words came back to him. _"The only thing missing from that picture is you." _I have to make this work he thought, somehow, I have to get through to her.

She must have felt that someone was watching her because she looked up suddenly and seemed surprised that Burke was standing there. "What took you so long?" she asked.

He was surprised by her question. "I went for a drink with an old friend, then gave him a ride home, did you miss me?"

"Not likely" she said smiling. "Christopher woke up and asked for you."

"Does he always sleep this long.?"

She shook her head. "He is use to having an afternoon nap but I think today has been a little bit much for him, It's going to be hard getting him to sleep tonight."

Burke looked at her with pride in his eyes. She seemed to be such a natural at being a mother. So different from the driven intern she once was. He had seen an inkling of her maternal side years ago when he operated on little Justin. She was so protective of him so gentle with him. He had known then that one day she would make a wonderful mother. "Burke" Her voice brought him back to reality.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Thinking about someone you left back in Alabama?" She asked the question jokingly but in reality she was really afraid that this was the case.

"Thinking about you."

"Why?"

He looked at her for a long time before answering. "You know the answer to that"

She didn't answer and looked away so that he couldn't see her face. Burke continued.

"I was thinking of taking Christopher back to the hotel with me. He could spend the night, if that's okay with you."

She thought about it for a moment before answering. She was secretly happy that Burke was willing to keep Christopher over night. She felt guilty knowing that Meredith had given up so much of her time for Christopher and she was glad to see how Burke was so easily bonding with their son. Although she experienced periodic bouts of jealousy, she understood that was normal and that her son's well being took precedence over everything else. "Burke. You don't need my permission to do that. I have a better idea though."

"What's that?"

"Could you spend the night at my place instead? I think it may do him some good to be home . . . sleep in his own bed. I'm worried about him...he's too young to be going through all this. He asked me today if I...she couldn't finish what she was about to say, she began to cry.

Burke went over and sat on her bed and pulled her in his arms "Shh" he said and kissed her on her head. "What did he say?" Burke asked gently.

"He wanted to know if I was going to die. I didn't think he even knows what it means to die...I can't imagine what has been going through his little head all this time." She started sobbing again and Burke reached over for the box of tissue on her night stand and began to wipe the tears away from her eyes. " You can't let him wake up and find you crying or he's going to believe that I'm killing you" They both started to laugh at that thought, and Burke continued "If you think that will help then that's fine, I'll take him home."

Cristina continued "and you have to read to him before he goes to bed."

Burke smiled, "okay mother hen, is there anything else I should know?"

She answered, "yes"

"What's that?"

"Don't call me mother hen."

"Okay, how about momma bear?" While he spoke, he was gently combing her hair out of her face with his fingers.

"No"

"I just want to see you smile. I can't have both cris' in my life depressed now, can I?"

"I'm not depressed."

"No, but you're both suffering from withdrawal, hopefully, today has been good for both of you."

She closed her eyes for a moment and snuggled closer to him. " I'm glad you're here" she whispered.

He breathes in deeply before answering, "I'm glad I'm here too." The simple act of her admitting that she was glad that he was there meant a lot to him. She was slowly opening up to him and he wanted her to continue down that route. He was dreading what he had to tell her next. "I have to leave in a couple of days. I have to go back to Alabama."

She stared at him for a moment, her eyes were pleading with him to stay but what came from her mouth was anger and disappointment. "So what am I supposed to tell Christopher, that you love him but not as much as you love your precious Alabama?"

"Why are you being so unreasonable? I haven't even finished what I was about to say."

She tried to change the subject, "I don't want to talk about this right now, I am really tired"

"Sometime soon we're going to have to talk, I mean really talk, it's not just about you and me anymore."

"I think you should take Christopher home now" while she said it she was looking at the small clock on the wall.

He seemed surprised that she was suddenly telling him to leave. "What's your rush, Christopher is still sleeping."

"If you don't wake him up now, you'll have to stay up with him tonight because he won't go to sleep." ...She turned away from him before saying, "plus my parents are coming here this evening and I don't" . . . he cut her off.

"You don't want them so see me." He was hurt.

"That's not it, just do this for me please."She looked at him pleadingly and he knew that he couldn't deny her anything.

"Cristina, I don't want to be anybody's secret."

"You're not a secret. You're Christopher's father."

"Is that all I am to you, Christopher's father?"

"Burke, please, just take him and go, we'll talk about this later, I'll call you after they leave."

She turned around and started to wake Christopher up. "Christopher, baby wake up. Daddy is going to take you home now."

Christopher woke up, protesting that he wanted to stay with her but she finally got him to agree to go home. Burke lifted Christopher up as he was still a little sleepy he said goodbye to Cristina and was about to leave when she stopped him. "I don't think there's any grocery in the apartment so you may want to stop on your way and pick something up or there won't be anything for breakfast in the morning."

Burke gave her a long stare and she looked away. She couldn't read his thoughts but she knew that he was upset. She felt as if she had made a mess of the whole situation and she wasn't sure what the outcome would be. She longed for the old days when she was sure of his love for her. When all she needed was just to be in the same room as he. She wondered if they would ever be able to rekindle any of that. She wanted to ask him to stay, wanted to let him know how much she loved having him there. Instead she reacted out of anger and fear. Fear that if he goes back to Alabama he may not return. For three long years she had waited, hoping that he would return. No one, not even her friends knew the full extent of the impact his leaving had on her life. The nights were the most horrible. She would go home to an empty apartment sometimes forgetting that he wasn't there. There were no trumpets playing, no smell of dinner cooking and most of all those arms that she had become so accustomed to, were no longer there to hold her. She wondered if he missed her as much as she missed him or if someone else has replaced her in his arms, in his bed and in his life.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

He picked up the phone on the second ring and said "hello"

She hesitated before answering, she didn't know quite how to begin to say what she knew she had to "are you still mad at me?"

he didn't answer

"Burke" she called his name in a questioning tone as if to ask if he was still there. "You don't have to answer, you just have to listen . . . I'm not good at saying what it is that I really want to say whenever you're close to me. I can write it or I can say it over the phone . . . I prefer to say it and if I don't say it now I may not be able to muster up the courage to say it again. When I first met you, when our relationship first started, I had no intention of letting it go this far. I knew that I was attracted to you and I knew that you were attracted to me. In the beginning, on my part it was purely sexual. You were my boss, a highly regarded surgeon, you were the forbidden fruit and I was tempted. Which now looking back, it is strange because I've been in situations like that before but I've always had checks and balances and I was never tempted to cross the line. With you things were different all the well-intentioned checks and balances just disappeared and I allowed myself to do things with you that I've never dreamed of doing with anyone else. To feel things for you that I have never felt for anyone else"

"Cristina" He said her name but she wouldn't allow him to speak.

"Just listen, okay, if I don't do this now, I won't be able to do it again."

"Okay" he said, and she continued.

"Around the time that I found out that I was pregnant for the first time, my feelings for you began to change and that scared me. I'd never felt that way about anyone before. When you asked me to move in, I kept my old apartment because I always had this feeling that we wouldn't last and in hind sight I was right . . . You took good care of me and you made it impossible for me to leave . . . there were so many times when I wanted to just run, . . . but I would come home from a rough day at work and all you needed to do was put your arms around me and I'd feel safe and I had never had that before. Around you, I could be myself, you made me feel loved and wanted but I wasn't ready to reciprocate those feelings. Loving you was not in my plans. I wanted to scare you off so I lead you to believe that I was much more of a slob than I really was. You didn't take the bate. And you wore down my defenses. I began to depend on you both emotionally and physically but I was afraid of letting you know."

"I'm from a family of over achievers and I'm the biggest over achiever of all. A lot was expected of me, so when I went away to school. I started to rebel . . . I never failed in school but I began to resent my parents, especially my mother, little did I know that the time would come when I would need to lean on her more than I have ever leaned on anyone . . . She was always there for me. All that I had to do was pick up the phone, but instead of seeing her as a concerned mother I always felt that she was interfering in my life. Then I came here for internship, I met you, got pregnant and you left . . . I was no longer my parents pride and joy, I had become a source of embarrassment . . . Whenever my family got together I was the one that everyone whispered about . . . My family is proud and they're old fashioned and very conservative. It was bad enough that I had what they considered to be an affair with my boss, it was even worse to become pregnant and then you leaving . . . So, initially, I lied . . . I told them that you were not the father and that we had broken up long before I became pregnant . . . You see my step father had this idea that he should report you to the hospital board. He felt that I was being taken advantage of. So I kept my secret and no one in my family knew who Christopher's father was until he was born, and my mother saw him . . . and she knew. I begged her not to say anything, so she is now a part of my lie...When you said earlier today that I was keeping you a secret, you were right, but not in the way you think . . . I need the chance to talk to them alone first, outside of this hospital. I should be out of her within the next two days, I'll talk to them then."

"After you left, I didn't know what to do. It's not easy being a pregnant intern. It's especially hard when you are the subject of everyone's gossip. My friends could do so much to insulate me from the stares and the gossip, the look of pity. Everyone knew who I was pregnant for, some were sympathetic, others thought I got what I deserved . . . It was like I had robbed them of their prized bull.

It got so bad that I found myself wishing that I would go to bed and not wake up."

He couldn't stand to hear her say that "Cristina don't."

She interrupted him. " Just let me finish please."

"One evening after a particularly rough day of work I came home and I was lying on the floor on my back . . . hoping that I would never wake up when I felt a little flutter in my stomach, just for a fleeting moment . . . At first I didn't realize what it was . . . and then it happened again, only this time it was more prolonged . . . it was just like a butterfly was just sitting there fluttering its wings, it was so gentle . . . then I realized that it was my baby's first movement . . . From then on, I lived for those times when he would flutter and I didn't want to not wake up any more . . . gradually, those little flutter became distinct movements . . . he began to kick more aggressively and I could make the distinction between his little feet and little elbows . . . and we would make a little game out of it . . . he would stick his little feet out and I would tickle that spot and he would move to another location . . . At the time I didn't know if I was having a boy or a girl. I didn't want to know. I just wanted to maintain that element of surprise . . . and I wanted it to be healthy."

"After a very tedious day in surgery I came home one evening and realized that I hadn't felt the baby move all day . . . I was so scared, . . . I started to imagine the worst . . . I was too scared to confirm what I thought was obvious so I didn't go back to the hospital to check it out . . . I spent the whole night crying, thinking that I had lost another one. Just before dawn I fell asleep and when I woke up he was moving, . . . it's like he was taking my insides for his own private playground . . . I was so happy, it was Christmas eve . . . I went to work feeling very tired, I hadn't had enough sleep. By the end of the day I began to feel cramps in my stomach . . . I thought maybe I had too much to eat that day so I ignored the symptoms . . . I took a shower and went to lie on the floor. I had started sleeping there because for some reason I felt more comfortable sleeping on a hard surface than on my bed . . . I fell asleep then woke up a few hours later feeling startled. Then it hit me, . . . the cramp that I felt earlier was still there only more severe . . . I still didn't think that I was in labour, it was too early."

"I phoned my mother and she said she was getting on the first flight out . . . I phoned Meredith and she came over to drive me to the hospital.By the time she got to my apartment my water already broke and the pains were more prolonged and more severe. We got to the hospital only to find out that there were complications. Christopher was breach and there was a possibility that the umbilical cord was around his neck. Addison Shepherd was my doctor and we decided that a caesarean would be best . . . I was awake through the entire procedure. Meredith cut the umbilical cord . . . I can't explain the feeling that I had when I heard him cry for the first time . . It was seven fifteen on Christmas morning . . . then Addison put him in my arms, he was the most beautiful baby . . . he had light caramel skin, big almond-shaped eyes and a full head of hair. . . and then I started to laugh and everyone thought I was crazy but it crossed my mind that god had a sense of humor, because I looked at my baby and the most prominent thing about him was the cleft in his chin. I chose to believe that god didn't hate me, he just wanted to make fun of me . . . How else could I explain that the one person I wanted to forget the most, I couldn't. Every time I looked at my baby I would see you."

"I promised Christopher then that I would always be there for him and that I would do everything in my power to keep him safe and most of all, I promised him that I would love him unconditionally. He didn't ask to be born, that was my choice, and he is not responsible for the circumstances of his birth. You came back because I had the accident and I will always be grateful to you for that. I realize now that you really didn't know about Christopher and I am truly sorry about that, you've both missed out on a lot. I watched you with him today and I could see that you love him and I know that he loves you too. I don't want to do anything that will impact negatively on his relationship with you, and I don't want him to grow up feeling that he was always caught in the middle of his parent's disagreements. With you going back to Alabama, I don't know how this is going to work. I don't want to be the one to tell him that you're leaving."

All the time that she was talking she had no idea that at the other end of the telephone Burke was sitting with tears in his eyes trying unsuccessfully to control his emotions. He knew that it could not have been easy for her to hold on to her internship while being pregnant and subsequently having the baby. He had no idea what she had gone through. She didn't talk much and rarely showed any emotions but he could tell that there was a lot bottled up inside of her and what she just revealed was just the tip of the iceberg. "You didn't let me finish. I'm not going back to Alabama for good. When I heard about your accident, I dropped everything to be here. There were surgeries which I had scheduled that I had to refer to someone else. I had no idea how long I was going to be away, or if you would even be..." he couldn't say it so she said it for him.

"Or if I would even be alive."

"Yes" he took a deep breath then continued. " In a few days I'll have to leave. I'll be away for about a week, two at the most. I will talk to Christopher, but first I need to clarify some things to you. I listened to you without interrupting so I'm hoping that you'll do the same for me."

"The first time I saw you was your first full day at the hospital. I had come to select an intern for the first procedure. When I picked George I saw a look on your face and I thought, this girl had spunk. I saw you again that day when George was in the middle of doing the appendectomy and you were all in the gallery cheering him on. I looked up to indicate silence and there you were. After that I would see you constantly. You could be in the middle of all the interns and you are the one that I see. At the hospital interns come and go and to me all they represent was someone else to teach then move on to the next. With you it was different, I just couldn't get rid of you."

"You wanted to get rid of me?" she asked, surprised to hear him say that.

"I ask you not to say anything. Anyway, when Liz Fallon came to the hospital I overheard her asking you about your home life and I found out that you didn't have a boyfriend and I found myself being very happy about it...Then when she was dying and you tried to resuscitate her and I had to physically pull you away from her...I felt something...and I didn't want to let you go, but I had to . Then she died and you had to call it, my heart ache because I had been there before. I knew what it was like to lose your first patient... So when you left the room I knew that someone had to talk to you...so I came after you and found you in the stair well...and you looked at me with tears in your eyes and... I grabbed your hands but all that I really waned to do was to just hold you close and tell you that everything would be all right. I've never felt that way about any intern before so I knew then that there were other forces at work. I went home that night and I dreamed about you but in my dreams I did hold you close and I kissed you and you returned the kiss."

"The next morning I came to work and I saw you standing at the nurses station so I bought you a coffee. In my mind I felt that if you accepted the coffee I had a chance. If you didn't then I would leave you alone . . . I walked away leaving the coffee there, but I watched you take it and I knew . . . Then the whole situation with the towel inside the patient happened. And I saw you watching me with accusation in your eyes."

She interrupted him again, "that wasn't accusation, that was disappointment, I thought that you and Bailey were trying to cover it up."

"Anyway, at the end of the day when you walked into that On Call Room my fate was sealed. My head was telling me to walk away but my heart was telling me something else . . . I kissed you and I couldn't help myself. I wanted you more that I have ever wanted anyone...After that whenever I'm with you I find myself not wanting it to end. Then out of fear I broke it off only to have you collapse in my OR and finding out later that you had an ectopic pregnancy and had lost the baby . . . Having to complete that surgery not knowing what was wrong with you was the worst feeling of all . . . but nothing hurt more than the way that I found out . . . seeing your name up there on that board . . . I've read that board a million times and was never affected by it until that day . . . I knew then that my feelings for you was deeper than I thought . . . I wanted you in my life, I wanted to make up for all the pain that I had caused you."

When you came back to work, I rushed things. I should have given you more time, Instead I gave you an ultimatum. I was very surprised when you said you wanted us to be a couple . . . but then you wanted to keep it secret . . . but I've been around hospitals for a long time and I knew what gossip could do, so I took the initiative and told the chief myself . . . I didn't want us to always have to be looking over our shoulders whenever we go out . . . I felt obligated to look out for your best interest. The day you moved in was one of the happiest days of my life . . . I could take care of you and if I didn't see you during the day, I knew that at night you would always be there. Every day I fell in love with you more . . . and I could see your feelings change toward me . . . Even though you never said it, I knew . . . and then in the blink of an eye, everything changed. I got shot and here we are."

"So where do we go from here" she asked the question knowing in her heart what the answer was.

"I don't know, I know that we both want Christopher to be happy, but I don't know how we're going to accomplish that."

"Well, you said that you didn't want to be my boyfriend ."

"No" he answered, "I don't want to be your boyfriend, we've been there, we've done that"

"Then what do you want from me Burke?" she sounded frustrated and hurt.

"Cristina" he had a way of calling her name that made her feel special

"Yeah"

"Marry me?"


	20. Chapter 20

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

Chapter 20

The proposal was unexpected. It shocked her, and rendered her speechless. Why did those words scare her so much? Her heart was beating faster, her palms were sweaty and she dropped the phone. If he had popped the question three years ago when they lived together, it would not have surprised her as much. Back then, she was sure that the next step in their relationship would be marriage or at least the question of marriage. She knew that he would not settle for them just living together. He was methodical in everything he did and asking her to move in was just the beginning. The next step was just looming, unspoken, waiting for the perfect opportunity. She reached down to retrieve the phone which had fallen to the floor, on picking it up she could hear him call her name but she didn't answer.

She was thinking that this was the lamest proposal she has ever heard. And she secretly smiled because she thought it was so like him to do something so unusual.

The silence didn't surprise him. He expected it. In his mind's eye he could see her mentally shut down, trying to run, only, he knew she was trapped and one way or another she would have to give him an answer. "Cristina" he called her name again and this time she did answer.

"I'm thinking."

"It's a simple question."

"A simple question with huge implications. Are you seriously proposing to me over the phone?"

Her question surprised him but it also pleased him because even though she didn't say yes, she didn't say no either. It never occurred to him that his method could be wrong. He never planned it that way. He would have preferred to be on his knees in front of her when he asked. But like almost everything else in their relationship, it was spontaneous. The entire process didn't matter to him, all he cared about was the end result. Her, wearing his ring. He answered her question cautiously, wanting to prolong the conversation as long as possible. "Cristina, since when did protocol enter into our lives? We had sex before we dated, got pregnant and lost a baby before we went on our first date. We have a child out of wedlock. You were an intern when we first started seeing each other. We have broken every taboo in the book. It's a little too late for protocol. Marry me."

"Why would you want to marry me anyway? I can't be the person you want me to be." The despair in her voice was so evident that he wished he was there to hold her.

"I want to marry you because I love you and I don't want you to be anyone or anything other than who you are."

"If I didn't have Christopher, would you still want to marry me?"

"If we didn't have Christopher." He stressed the we, wanting her to know that they were a team even if she hasn't yet accepted it. "Yes, I'd still want to marry you."

"Do you really love me that much?"

"More than you can imagine."

"If I can't give you an answer right now, will you be upset?"

"I won't be upset, I want you to think about it, but I want you to know that I'm not going to ask you to marry me again. The ball is in your court now."

"You're mad at me."

"No, I'm not mad at you, a little disappointed, but there's still reason to hope."

"What reason is that?"

"You still love me."

"I've forgotten how arrogant you can be."

"I wouldn't call it arrogance, just self assurance and god know any man who wants to marry you has to have a sense of self or you would walk all over him."

"What if we've just outgrown each other?"

"Not possible" he said smiling, "you'll never be able to outgrow me."

"Shut up Burke, I'm serious. What if your family hates me." "Cristina, my family will love you, besides they think that I have great taste in women."

That statement got her attention and even though she knew he was joking, she couldn't help feeling a little bit jealous. "If you have such great taste in women why didn't you marry one of them?" She was waiting on pins and needles for his answer.

"Because they weren't you."

"You know, I should really marry you and spend the rest of my days making your life miserable."

"See. That's an incentive." He was enjoying teasing her.

"I'm going to sleep now Burke. Take care of Christopher." She was yawning and he could hear the tiredness in her voice.

"On the subject of sleep, What the hell are you doing with a king size bed? You could get lost in this thing."

"What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"You didn't expect me to sleep on the couch, did you?" He knew she was just joking about him being in the bedroom.

"Oh, you can sleep in my bed anytime you want. Just imagine all those orgies I have had in that bed. You know I could fit six people in there."

"Oh, it took that many to replace me?"

"And you thought you were irreplaceable."

"For you I am."

"Burke. You're full of yourself."

"Play your cards right and you can be full of me too." He enjoyed bantering with her.

"We're not going there."

"Scared?"

"I'm so scared, I''m shivering."

"See how good I am, even from this distance I can still make you shiver."

"Good night Burke . . . Take care of my baby,"

"I'm trying to take care of both my babies."

"You're doing a good job."

"I can do better if you'll let me."

"Burke"

"Yeah."

"Do you think it's crazy to be glad that something bad happened in someone's life?"

"I don't know. I've never thought about it. His mood became pensive. "Why?"

"In a way, I'm kind of glad that I had the accident."

"What! Why would you say that?"

"Because it brought you to Christopher, and he needed you."

He knew what she was saying and it had nothing to do with Christopher. He knew that he was home and he was never leaving. "I love you too, Cristina." He hanged up the phone just after she said good night.


	21. Chapter 21

_The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and does not belong to me._

Chapter 21

The next morning she awoke early. This was the day she was being discharged from the hospital but Burke didn't know. She wanted to surprise him. Early in the morning her mother and step father came to visit. She asked them to wait until she was she was discharged so that they could take her home. While her mother packed her things, her step father talked briefly with her doctors. One by one her friends came to wish her well, the nucleus of the friendship they formed at the beginning of their internship was still very much in tact. Her parents took her bags and with one last look around the room that had been her home for almost a month, she left. It occurred to her on her way out that the next time she sees that room would be as a doctor. She missed her job terribly and couldn't wait to start working again but her doctor had made her promise to take it easy. At the back of her mind she was concerned that she had missed out on too many surgeries and had fallen behind the others. She couldn't help but feel a little sad leaving the hospital. There, she was pampered and catered to and now she was on her own again. For a brief moment she thought about how lucky she was to be leaving there alive and about the one person who she believed played the most important part in her recovery.

She asked her parents to make a detour before taking her home. She wanted to speak to them privately first. Her parents took her back to their hotel and called room service. Over lunch she told them everything. About Burke and about Christopher and especially about Burke being back in her life. At times the conversation between them was so intense and upsetting that she wanted to just leave, but she stayed. It was important to her that her parents understand that Burke wasn't just the man who got their daughter pregnant. Wasn't just a former boyfriend, but that he was very important to her and irrevocably, a part of her life. Her mother, already knowing about Burke's relationship to Christopher, was very surprised to hear that he was back, but she knew her daughter well, and all along she suspected that Cristina was keeping something from her. On some level she was pleased to hear the news. She was extremely proud of Cristina for the wonderful job she did in raising Christopher. But she was traditional and no matter how acceptable it had become, being an unwed single mother was unacceptable to her and she did not want her daughter or grandson to be a part of that statistic. In the end her parents had to admit that she was much smarter than they had given her credit for and they were satisfied that the young girl who left their home all those years ago was now a mature young woman who was quite capable of taking control of her own life. Mistakes she made in the past had only served to strengthen her. And the young girl who was so afraid of commitment was running no more. And so they took her home.

Burke was with Christopher in his room building trucks out of Lego Blocks when they heard the front door opening. He told Christopher to stay while he went to see who was there. Surprised and elated to see Cristina standing there, he went forward wrapped her in his arms. He was just about to ask her why she didn't tell him that she would be discharged from the hospital when he saw her parents. Cristina introduced her step father who tentatively shook Burke's hand. Her mother, as usual, was very pleasant and mentioned how pleased she was to see Burke again. On entering the apartment Cristina headed straight for Christopher's room. As she got to the door he looked up and saw her and immediately, the Lego Blocks were forgotten as he got up and ran toward his mother. She bent down and stretched out her arms and he ran right into it. She closed her arms around him and picked him up. He hugged his mother tightly and she turned around and took him to his grandparents who were now sitting in the living room.

Surprisingly, the meeting between Burke and her step father went better than she expected. She was never too concerned about her mother's reaction as she had known for years that her mother was quite fond of him. While Saul and Burke sat talking, Christopher took his grandmother to show her his room. Cristina sat by her self watching the two men talking. They were like two intellectuals discussing the important news of the day and totally ignoring her. She was becoming increasingly frustrated that Saul was monopolizing so much of Burke's time. It crossed her mind that she was always jealous of other people spending time with Burke and even after all this time nothing had changed. She felt a little guilty because she was secretly hoping that her parents would leave soon. Her wish came true sooner than she expected. After about two hours her parents decided to leave, Promising to return the next day to take Christopher to the zoo.

The moment her parents left Cristina began to feel extremely nervous and that emotion scared her. In her heart she knew that she had no reason to be, but she just couldn't shake the feeling. There were things that she needed to tell him and she wasn't sure how he would react to what she has to say. Last night, after they had said goodbyes, she had spent hours going over all he had said especially his proposal. He had told her that he wouldn't ask her again and that it was up to her. And so late last night, without him knowing, she had made her decision. He and Christopher returned to the apartment after walking her parents to their car. Lost in thought she didn't hear them come in until Christopher ran to sit in her lap and Burke sat down next to her. "I could have gotten you from the hospital." He said it as if he was disappointed in her for not telling him that she was being discharged.

"I know, but I needed to visit with my parents privately and it was the perfect opportunity."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just a little bit tired."

He looked at her and noticed for the first time how thin she looked. "Want something to eat."

"No, I had lunch with my parents."

"Want us to leave you alone?"

"No, I've been left alone for too long. Besides, I want to spend some time with my baby."

"Which one?"

She looked at him then, for a moment not fully understanding what he was asking. He looked back at her and their eyes met and held. She looked away.

"Both" he noticed a little smile on her face when she answered.

"Okay then. I have an idea " then he turned to Christopher and said "Come on sport, we've got work to do."

From the bedroom she inhaled the buttery smell of popcorn and soon afer her "babies" returned to the bedroom with a huge bowl of popcorn and Christopher's favorite movie, Madagascar.

All three of them sat on Cristina's big bed with their backs against the headboard watching the movie and eating popcorn. At one point Burke leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Much better use for this bed than having orgies don't you think."

She turned around and pokes him in his side with her elbow.

Aside from periodic outbursts of giggles from Christopher, their afternoon was relatively quiet and by the end of movie mother and son were fast asleep and Burke got up and started the process of making them dinner.

He went from kitchen to bedroom, checking on them constantly. And later on that evening when everyone was showered and changed, they sat down to a wonderful meal. For a while all their problems were forgotten and if someone had taken a photograph of them, they would portray the perfect picture of domestic bliss. Later that night after putting Christopher to bed and reading him a story, she went back to her room and spent the night in the arms of the only man she had ever really loved.

The next day Cristina's parents took Christopher to the zoo leaving her and Burke alone together for the first time in three years. Again, the feeling of nervousness overtook her and she felt unsure of herself. He entered her bedroom quietly holding the newspaper he had just picked up at her door. "Want to read?" he asked her holding up the paper for her to see.

"Not right now, I'm trying to catch up on all this mail." She indicated the pile of mail at the side of her bed. She expected him to leave but he just stood there looking at her making her even more nervous and jittery.

"Want something?" she asked without looking directly at him.

"As a matter of fact I do." He started to walk further into the room and finally sat next to her on the bed. "Why are you so acting so nervous around me?"

"I'm not acting. I am nervous."

"Why?"

"Because I have something to tell you and I don't know where to start or how you're going to react to it."

He reached over and took hand. "Cristina, you can tell me anything, I won't judge you."

"Promise me that you will listen to what I have to say and that you won't interrupt until I am finished."

"I promise." He made the promise but he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep it. He had the feeling that whatever she had to say was important.

"I was married before." She said the words quickly and immediately pulled the blanket over her head.

He was stunned, not sure if he was hearing right. He pulled the blanket away from her, exposing her face. "You were what?"

"You promised to let me finish."

"Okay, so finish."

"When I first left home to go to college I met and fell in love with a graduate student. I was very young and very naive and I thought that he really cared about me . . . Looking back now I think I was targeted . . . You see, while I lived at home, I was very sheltered, I wasn't allowed to date and I really didn't have a boyfriend . . . When we first met he showered me with attention. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for me . . . I've always had this thing about not having sex until I was married and he respected that . . . he never pressured me . . . When we first met I lived on campus and shared a dorm room with another student . . . That student and I became very close friends and it was she who introduced me to him . . . On my nineteenth birthday we eloped, got married and I moved into the house he shared with another student off campus . . . " I kept the relationship and marriage a secret from my parents because I knew that they wouldn't support it."

On our wedding night we stayed at a hotel and he . . . " She started to tremble, unable to continue.

"And he what?" He suddenly realized that this was not the happy marriage he envisioned when she first began to speak. "What did he do Cristina?"

"It was my first time, and it was my last until I met you." She covered her face with her hands.

He reached over and pulled her hands away from her face and pulled her over on the bed so that her head was resting in his lap. "Did he rape you?"

He was holding her and she could feel the muscles twitching in his arms and she realized how hard it was for him to control the anger that he was feeling toward someone he didn't even know. "It wasn't anything like that. It was consensual. But he knew that I was inexperienced and he made no allowance for that. It was awful . . . When it was over, I was left feeling numb and in a lot of pain . . . Like a piece of meat that the inspectors discarded because it was contaminated . . . He just got up left me in bed and went downstairs to the bar . . . It was like he was a different person . . . He changed so drastically. Where as before he was kind and understanding, he became very distant and although we slept in the same bed, he never touched me again . . . for the longest time I blamed myself, thinking that there was something wrong with me . . . and then I began to figure out the real reason why he was so nice to me . . . Why he married me."

"My biological father died when I was nine years old and as his only child, I inherited the bulk of his estate . . . My father was very organized and before he died he set up a trust for me. The money he left me was supposed to be given to me at different stages in my life. At eighteen, I was to receive the first installment. The year before we married, I turned eighteen . . . I was always very careful with my finances . . . I always wanted to fit in so I was never extravagant and no one really knew my background . . . Or so I thought . . . We opened a joint account and I transferred money from my personal account in California to the joint account. In less that a week the money was gone and he changed from being unattentive to simply abusive. He never hit me, but he was extremely abusive verbally . . . I transferred more money into the joint account and as soon as I did it would disappear . . . During this time I began to suspect that he was seeing someone else. There were signs all over the house . . . he wasn't trying to hide what he was doing . . . One day I went home earlier than expected, I wasn't feeling well. For some reason I got this idea to go through his things, I wanted to find evidence of what he was doing with the money . . . I came across two video tapes hidden and I was curious because we had a lot of movies but they were all on a stand next to the TV . . . These were hidden in such a place that I believed there was something on them that he wanted to keep private . . . I put the tapes in the VCR and when I pressed play what I saw made me literally sick to my stomach . . . There he was on tape making love to someone else . . . I was so naive that some of the things I saw I never knew was even possible . . . I wanted to stop watching but I started to think what if he had taped us that night, so I kept watching . . . I still didn't finish . . . It was too much and until this day I don't know if I'm on those tapes . . . I decided then that I would leave . . . So I confided in my friend and former room mate . . . It was then that she told me that she may have passed on information to him about me . . . She had found correspondence between me and my mom and my father's lawyers . . . from that she started to refer to me as her rich room mate . . . At the time she was dating a friend of his . . . so he set his sights on me . . . One day when I couldn't take it any more I asked him why he married me and he told me that the question wasn't why he married me, but how much I would be willing to pay for him to go away.

"I decided to move out but I couldn't find an available apartment until three weeks later. I tried to move back into the dorm but someone had already moved into my old room . . . So, for three more weeks I stayed . . . I decided to give him the money he wanted to leave me but when I tried to transfer the funds there was no money there. My mother had begun to notice large sums of money being transferred so she blocked my account. She always had control over my accounts and even though at the time I resented it. I came to appreciate it . . . In order to get the money. I had to tell her the truth . . . I don't know exactly what happened, but I believed that my parents paid him off and the marriage was annulled . . .

"Was your room mate the girl that he was involved with?"

"It wasn't a girl. The person he was in making love to wasn't a girl."

She heard him swear, and felt his arms tightened around her, but he was quiet and the silence bothered her.

"Say something." She pleaded with him.

He tilted her chin so she was looking up at him. "I love you."

She felt the tears stinging her eyes and she fought hard not to shed them. "Say something that I don't know."

In response he reached under his pillow and pulled out a small ring box. He opened the box and removed the most exquisite looking ring. Lifted her left hand and placed the ring on her finger.

She looked at the ring and back at him, she tried to speak but couldn't find the words, and so she reached up and pulled his head down to hers and kissed him.


	22. Chapter 22

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 22

The kiss started out light, soft, Tentative. Then escalated into something way beyond their control. Logic dictates that he waited. She had just been released from the hospital. Still weak, too frail, very fragile and she didn't need the physical exertion. Logic, has its limits. Last night logic won. They slept in each other's arms and just . . . slept. When she kissed him, when he returned the kiss, logic went out the window and more than three years of need and want and their undying love for each other returned and neither one of them could, nor really wanted to control it. And so, with their child away with his grandparents, they gave in to the passion, and the love, and their uncontrollable need for each other and made love.

It was incredible, like a perfect landing after a tumultuous flight. At first he was extremely gentle with her. The memory of what she told him about the way her husband treated her, her very first time, still fresh in his mind. He wanted to eradicate all that from her memory. To remind her that he was Burke, not the man who violated her. That all men are not the same. And that he valued her, needed her and most of all, he loved her. His own fulfillment was secondary and he tried to convey with his body what the words failed to. That nothing or no one was more important to him than her. That he would gladly take this journey, this heartbreaking, obstacles laden, painful journey again if it meant that in the end, he'd be with her. To him, her feelings were just as important as his, and in this instance her feelings supercede his.

She, being Cristina, would have none of it. She was her old gloriously uninhibited self and she informed him that she _was not fragile and wouldn't break_. And so they spent the afternoon rediscovering each other. When it was over, they had taken each other to heights they'd never reached before. Afterwards, they lay there, in their usual position, his arms wrapped around her, and they slept. If anyone had walked in that room, based on the condition, they'd believe that a hurricane had passed through. There were clothes tossed in every direction as if someone had changed in a hurry. The sheets were hanging off the bed, mostly on the floor and the bed was an absolute mess. But the two people lying there was the picture of absolute contentment.

Burke was the first to wake up. At first he just laid there with his eyes closed. He didn't want to open his eyes only to find that it was just a dream. He'd had similar dreams before over the years. But none exactly like this. If this were a dream, he did not want to wake up. This, by far, was the best dream he'd ever had. It was vivid and real and he found himself wanting her again. He opened his eyes, prepared to be disappointed, but she was right there in his arms, naked. He wasn't dreaming. Her eyes were closed and he was sure that she was sleeping. He took the opportunity to really look at her. He had discovered during their love making that she had acquired a few scars. Two, resulting from the accident and the subsequent surgery to repair her internal organs, and one much lower down her body, the result of the C-section to bring Christopher into the world. He gently turned her over so she was lying on her back. And kissed the scar from her C-section before pulling the blanket covering them both.

As he laid there, a million thoughts ran through his mind. He had so many questions to ask her, and yet so many had been answered in the past few hours. He had always felt that there were things about her that he didn't know. Things she wanted to keep private. He had no idea how excruciatingly painful those things were. Looking back, he'd always known that someone had hurt her, someone she was close to. He wasn't sure if it was someone from her childhood or more recent, but he knew. He always wanted to ask her, even when they first got together, but he knew that his questions would only cause her to withdraw into herself and he didn't want that. So he decided that he would leave her alone and in time she would open up to him. He had no idea that it would take this long or the events that would lead up to her telling him. He knew now why she was so reluctant to move in with him, her reason for keeping her apartment even after she did, and her fear of admitting that she loved him. All those things could be traced back to one person, her ex-husband. He had a problem thinking of anyone as her husband, except himself. Without realizing it, he was biting down on his bottom lip so hard it started to bleed. All he could think about was that the son of a bitch hurt her and left her alone in a hotel room to go to a bar. He couldn't understand how any man could be so callous. His only thought was that maybe the bastard was having difficulty dealing with his own sexuality. But, that was no excuse, and still did not answer the question of why he wanted money to leave her. To Burke, his greatest pleasure at this moment would be to have his hands around the bastard's neck, choking the life out of him. He was angry but wasn't sure who he was angrier at, her parents for letting him get off so easy, or himself. Given her past experience, he could only now appreciate the full impact of his leaving on her. Someone else she loved and trusted, hurt her. The other guy took money. That was replaceable. He took much more. He took her heart and left her with a baby.

He didn't realize that he was squeezing her until she stirred and opened her eyes. She saw the pained look on his face and asked. "What's wrong?"

He stared at her for a moment, their eyes met and held. "I'm sorry." There was so much emotion in his voice when he said those words that she knew that he was blaming himself for all their troubles. "You didn't know. I can live with that."

"What's his name?" His question was so unexpected. It caught her off guard. "What?"

"You know what I'm asking."

She did, and she didn't want to keep things from him anymore but she didn't see why telling Burke his name would change anything. "I can tell you that he is a malpractice Lawyer. He takes pleasure in suing people like us for the simplest of mistakes. He knows his stuff. He also has a MD. He is from a very prominent family and he is about your age."

"Sounds like you're very proud of him." He was feeling just a little bit jealous.

"I'm not proud of him. Those are just facts. It doesn't make him a better human being. I'm proud of you. It's all that matter."

He thought about what she said and decided to leave well alone but he had one last question. "Why did your parents pay him off? What he did was fraud. Not to mention blackmail."

"It was mostly because of me. At the time I couldn't handle the publicity or the shame . . . I"

He interrupted her instantly. "Cristina, you had nothing to be ashamed of. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know that now but back then . . . you don't understand the state I was in . . . I think I'd prefer to drop out of college than to deal with the publicity. My step father would have taken it further. He doesn't suffer fools easily . . . emotionally, I couldn't cope and they understood. Today, if the same thing were to happen I would handle it differently."

He realized that his questioning was causing her to relive what happened and was causing her distress so he tilted her chin, kissed her gently and said. "Today, it would never happen."

"I know."

They laid there quietly, lost in their own individual thoughts when her next words floored him."So before I marry you, is there anything you want to get off your chest?"

"Before you what! Is that a yes?" He had the most amazing smile on his face

"Of course it's a yes. Don't make a big deal out of it. I will marry you. I was always going to marry you."

He was so excited he picked her up and pressed her body to his so tightly that she winced in pain. He put her back down quickly but started to kiss her all over until she pulled away from him. "Don't start anything you can't finish. Besides we've already taken too many chances today, unprotected chances, she stressed. I want to walk down the aisle. Not waddle down it."

Instinctively his hand went to her stomach, gently running his hands back and forth he said. "I never thought about that."

She smiled "Don't worry about it, but just so you know, if I am pregnant, after the baby is born, there'll be one Dr. Burke working and that'll be me."

"Does that mean that you'll take my name?"

She smiled at is uncertainty. "I don't know, if you should come back to the hospital it would be a bit confusing. The she Burke doesn't have the same ring to it as the she Shepherd. God knows what they'll call me."

"So when is this big event."

Again she was taken off guard. "What big event?"

"Our Wedding."

"I don't know. This was your idea. I just want to have sex with you whenever or wherever I please. If marriage is what it takes, so be it. You pick the date."

He knew that his next words would change her mind. "Okay, here's the deal. We'll hold off having sex until we're married, so the longer you take to set a date . . . "

She interrupted. "Burke, if you try to blackmail me with sex, I swear I'll sleep with Alex, or McDreamy or George for that matter."

Burke burst out laughing. "First of all Karev couldn't satisfy you. You wouldn't sleep with McDreamy because he's your best friend's boyfriend and I don't think he could satisfy you either. As for George, he's like the brother you never had. It would be like incest."

"So you're saying I'm oversexed."

"I'm saying that I'm the only man you'll be having sex with for a very long time. And when I'm old and grey and can't get it up anymore, you can buy my viagara."

"God you're arrogant."

"Yes, I am, but you love me anyway."

She didn't comment. She had always taken it for granted that he knew that she loved him. Even before she realized it herself. "So you didn't answer my question."

"What question." He was pulling her legs. He knew exactly what she was asking him.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me before we're married?"

"You mean if I have an ex-wife or children or lover hidden anywhere?"

"Yes."

"Then the answer is no. Cristina I'm no angel. I've had my share of . . . experiences. I have had romances that led to no where because I didn't want them to. I came close to marrying once but for the wrong reasons . . . There was a time in my life when I was finished with college and Medical School and was about to finish my internship when I felt that the next logical step was to get married . . . I was seeing someone at the time and I thought . . . well, we thought that it would be a good idea to get married. Luckily, we both realized what a mistake that would be, so we decided to call it quits . . . It was a mutual decision and she is now married to someone wonderful and is the mother of two beautiful children . . . We cared deeply for each other but not enough to marry . . . After that, I was basically married to my work, Until you came along and hit me like a bolt of lightening and in essence ruined it for any other woman to come my way. So, the answer is no Cristina, there's no one for you to concern yourself about. No ex, no children, no hidden lover to come out of the woodwork . . . There was no one in my life when we met and no one else since. I have spent the last three years of my life in Alabama living like a monk, sexless and hopelessly pining away for you."

She curled her body into his and buried her face in his chest. She was trying to hide the smile threatening to appear. She was happy to hear from his own mouth that there was no one for her to be concerned about, but she also couldn't help the feeling of jealousy she experienced when he mentioned that there had been someone long ago whom he almost married. He held her close, knowing that her silence meant she was thinking about what he said.

"How did you feel when I told you that I was married before?"

He didn't have to think about the answer to this question, he knew. "I felt like someone reached inside my chest and ripped my heart out."

"Then you know how I'm feeling right now."

He tightened his hold on her. "Yes, I do, but all that is in our past. The present and future are all that matters now. We're exactly where we should be, with the one person each of us wants to be with. It can only get better from here."


	23. Chapter 23

The show Grey's Anatomy and the characters are the sole property of Shonda Rhimes and do not belong to me.

Chapter 23

Late in the evening after they had cleaned up the bedroom and showered and changed. She sat at the table watching Burke prepare dinner. She wanted to make the dinner but he insisted that she shouldn't. She wasn't sure if it was because as he said, she needed her rest or because he thought she couldn't cook. After all, when they lived together before, he did all the cooking. He may not have noticed the many cookbooks she had acquired since then. When Christopher came along, she learned to cook because to her children shouldn't eat junk food. It was then that she realized that Christopher should have already been home and when she mentioned it to Burke, he wasn't concerned. "What is it you're not telling me?"she asked suspiciously.

"Christopher is having dinner with your parents this evening. They'll bring him home later."

"How much later?" I feel like I've abandoned him. Like he's been passed from one friend to another and now my family. We have hardly had any time alone, together. This morning I could feel him holding on to me as if he didn't want to leave."

Burke understood and empathized with her. It must be hard for her to adjust to so many changes.

And for Christopher the adjustment must seem greater. But Christopher was still very young and children were quite resilient so he wasn't too concerned. He knew that the worst thing that could happen to their son was for him to enter his life and then leave, so moving in would have the opposite effect. "This will be it, I promise. Your parents will be leaving soon and this is their only opportunity to spend time with him."

"What time are they supposed to bring him back?" "After I'm finished cooking, we're finished eating and you've had your way with me one more time."

"You know. We can't make up for three years in one day. Besides sending me home to recover means that I have to be able to exercise . . . walk"

He walked over to her, knelt down in front of her and whispered. "We may not be able to make up for three years in one day, but I'm having a whole lot of fun trying, and you don't have to walk . . . I'll carry you. As for exercise, you're getting enough."

"You think you have the answer to everything."

"Nope, just the answer to what ails you. Now just be quiet and let me concentrate on food right now because if you don't we're going to end up in another room doing other things."

She left him then, telling him she had phone calls to make. She went into the bedroom and closed the door. Meredith picked up the phone on the first ring. Without saying hello she said. "Cristina, what took you so long. I didn't want to intrude so I didn't call. What's going on?"

"Are you sitting down?"

Meredith could not control her excitement, she knew that if Cristina asks if she was sitting down it had to be something big. When Cristina finally spoke, it floored her.

"How would you like to be my maid of honor?"

"Your what! Who's getting married, who are you marrying? When?" Meredith was totally confused.

"I'm marrying the door man. What's wrong with you, snap out of it Meredith, this is serious. I'm marrying Burke. He asked and I said yes."

"Congratulations, when did this happen? What did you do to him? What did he do to you?"

"He gave me a ring, a gorgeous pink diamond ring and I think I must have screwed his brains out because he wants to marry me."

"And where was Christopher when you were screwing his father's brains out?"

"With my parents."

"So all is well on that front?"

"All is well. I think they gave him their blessings to change my status from potential spinsterhood to wife."

"Cristina, I'm so happy for you. I knew this day would come. I knew you guys would find your way back. You tell Burke he owes me one. He was so mad at me the day he first came to see you at the hospital. Someone mentioned Christopher and he thought you had a boyfriend. When I saw that reaction, I knew. That man never stopped loving you."

"Okay Meredith, I can't stay long. There's something else I have to tell you but that can wait."

"Is there an inscription in the ring?"

"What, how am I suppose to know that. I haven't taken it off since he placed it on my finger."

"Well take it off stupid. Every engagement ring has an inscription."

She took the ring off and looked inside. There were two hearts intertwined, similar to the Olympic rings and an inscription which read. You're welcome.

"What does it mean?" Meredith asked confused. The hearts I understand, but the you're welcome, what's that about."

Cristina was perplexed. "I have no idea."

"Well, I hope you won't be too busy doing you know what to ask him."

"I'll ask him later. In the mean time keep this to yourself. I don't want it all over the hospital before I come back to work. And Mer, thank you."

"For what?"

"For knowing what I needed and for getting George to call him, and for being there for Christopher."

"No problem, now go find out about the inscription. I'll talk to you later."

She walked back in the kitchen with her ring not on her finger but in her hand. "So what does it mean."

"What does what mean?"

"Burke. You know what I'm talking about. The inscription in the ring, what does it mean."

"I wondered how long it would take you to notice that."

"So" She was getting impatient.

He turned around to face her, looking deep into her eyes. "Do you remember the day you walked into the On Call room while I was changing?"

"I walked in on you changing a lot of times."

"I'm talking about the very first time. The day that I had the meeting with Meredith, the chief and the hospital lawyer regarding the popped glove incident."

"Yeah" She remembered.

"Well, after the meeting, I saw you with your friends waiting for Meredith. We looked at each other and I felt a connection. By the time you walked in the room I was totally conflicted. You walked in looking so sure of youself but by the time you closed the door, I knew you were scared, just like I was. You said, thanks for the coffee and I didn't answer. Instead I .. Well you know what happened next. I always wondered how different our lives might have been if I had handled that situation differently. So, that is your answer, the answer I should have given you then. You're welcome.

She reached up and pulled him down toward her. Kissed him and whispered, "I love you."

"Say that again."

"Shut up and kiss me back."

On a bright autumn afternoon in a small chapel on the outskirts of Seattle, Dr. Cristina Yang Married Dr. Preston Burke. The wedding though small, was the epitome of class. Only close friends and immediate family members were invited. The bride wore a gown designed by Vera Wang. The simplicity of the gown only serves to enhance its beauty. As she entered the aisle to walk toward him, Burke's eyes never left hers. Standing next to him was his old college friend from Tulane who served as his Best Man. Meredith served as Cristina's maid of honor and Cristina's sister, Izzie and Bailey served as Brides Maids. They recited their own vows and when they were finished there wasn't a dry eye in the church which prompted the Minister and the Rabbi to remind everyone that this was a wedding, not a funeral. After the vows, and the breaking of the glass and the and the kiss, a kiss that minister had to interrupt because they wouldn't stop, Mr. And Mrs. Preston Xavier Burke was presented to those in attendance. They finally jumped the broom, figuratively and actually because their ceremony encompassed their individual heritage as well as their religions. Christopher, who sat quietly in his maternal grandmother's lap during the entire ceremony, now started to fidget, wanting to go to his parents. So Cristina's mom let him go and he ran towards them. Burke picked him up and they left in the Limo for their reception.

They spent one night in their apartment before going to a one week honeymoon. Burke made the arrangements so Cristina had no idea where he was taking her. That night which should have been the best night of her life Burke noticed that she was a bit quiet, almost sad. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"I know that I promised to leave him with Meredith but I can't do it. I can't leave him again. He's going to be scared, he thinks that everytime I leave I'm going to meet in an accident and leave ham again. I can't do it."

"You won't have to leave him, he's coming with us."

"He is!" She was surprised, all along Burke lead her to believe that they would be leaving Christopher with Meredith.

"Yes."

"Did you read the inscription in your ring?"

"Is there an inscription?" He asked her teasingly.

"Just read it."

He removed his ring and inside was inscribed with the two interlocking hearts like the ones in her engagement ring and the words, I love You.

He pulled her closer in his arms and Whispered. " I love you Mrs. Burke"

She curled into his body and answered, shut up and show me."

Authors' note: And so it ends. My very first attempt at a fanfic. Thanks to everyone who read this story and a special thanks to those who took the time to review.

Blueorchids.


End file.
